FA Vase 5th Round
Wroxham 0 Winchester City 3
For the second season running City have reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Challenge Vase with another fine performance away in Norfolk, at Ridgeons Eastern League side Wroxham. It seems incredible that in only their second season in the competition the excitement and nervous tensions that the cup games create through the whole of the City following as City on Saturday strode towards their eleventh successive victory in league and cup matches.
City were hit by injury and illness before the game commenced. With Matthew Bicknell still not recovered from the heavy knock he had taken in the previous round away at Mossley, he was joined on the sidelines by Liam Green through injury whilst target man Ian Mancey was unable to travel, being hospitalised by a mystery viral illness.
City started brightly against a side that had been unable to play for three weeks following their previous FA Vase victory away at Nantwich, owing to the adverse weather conditions. On a bright afternoon with a swirling wind a wide uneven pitch saw Lloyd Webber waste an early opportunity to test home goalkeeper Ryan Lemmon.
The home side soon settled into their pattern of play and forced City on the back foot for a period. The home sides strike-force showed why they themselves had been potent in front of goal so far this season, being prompted in the middle of the park by captain Justin Fox who’s midfield tussle with City’s own captain Danny Smith lacked no desire.
Simon Arthur in the City goal made a good early save at the feet of Wroxham striker Gary McGee, then a break by Wroxham winger Matty Neale saw him fire narrowly wide with Arthur advancing. Midway through the opening half Neales cross was controlled in the six-yard box by leading scorer Russell Stock but he lifted his final shot over the bar. The City defence, with Mark Blake, David Goss and Toby Redwood commanding virtually saw Stock ineffective, the striker did produce one long range effort that went just over but overall he was well shackled.
Following a brief spell of pressure from the home side, the City midfield managed to take control of the match again. Right wing raider Shaun Dyke gave Josh Carus a torrid afternoon, swinging in crosses and being allowed so much freedom. Andrew Forbes headed narrowly wide from a Dyke cross before City took the lead on twenty-nine minutes. Danny Smith won the ball in the middle of the park, laying a pass into the feet of Forbes, who returned the ball to Smith to allow the skipper to bury a low shot wide to the right of the advancing Lemmon and City were ahead.
Immediately after City almost added a second, Lloyd Webbers cross was headed just wide by Forbes. As the interval approached City almost did add to their score. Forbes saw a header from a Smith corner cleared off the line, then from a Smith free kick Mark Blake had a header excellently saved by Lemmon. At the other end of the park Matty Neale took the ball away from Arthur after the keeper had gone to try and smother the ball at the strikers feet. Neale laid the ball back across the face of the City goal but no home striker had made the appropriate run to get on the end of the cross.
Steve Tate emerged as a second half substitute at the expense of Stewart Lang, Adam Rogers switching to right back and Shaun Dyke to the left flank. Tate run for the rest of the afternoon never giving up any lost cause and Dyke continued to cause problems on the opposite flank to which he had tormented the home side in the first half. Eight minutes into the second period and City were rewarded with a second goal. Smith this time the creator with a pass into Forbes who beat a defender before coolly playing a shot in the bottom corner of the net for his fifty ninth goal of the season. Two minutes later and City were almost safe; a fine shot from Smith hit the foot of the post but rolled away to safety.
Forbes limped away from the action for City with eighteen minutes remaining, but City had two quick opportunities following his departure with Rogers having a shot saved by the feet of Lemmon and Webber firing just wide of the target.
Wroxham threatened briefly to pull a goal back and set up a nailbiting final few minutes. When the fourth official decreed there would be five minutes stoppage time again Wroxham lifted their game, Simon Arthur producing a fine save to deny McGee, that being the home sides final action on the City goal.
The game drifted away with Webber finishing really strong setting up Kevin Brewster only for the substitute to shoot over when well placed. In the fourth minute of stoppage another strong run by Webber saw him turn the ball into the path of Smith for Smith to fire home the third goal of the afternoon and send City in the last eight of the F A Vase.
City : Arthur, Dyke, Lang (Tate 45), Redwood, Goss, Blake, Webber, G Green, Rogers (Brewster 90), Forbes (Waite 72), Smith Unused subs Rastall and Hall
Wroxham 0 Winchester City 3
For the second season running City have reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Challenge Vase with another fine performance away in Norfolk, at Ridgeons Eastern League side Wroxham. It seems incredible that in only their second season in the competition the excitement and nervous tensions that the cup games create through the whole of the City following as City on Saturday strode towards their eleventh successive victory in league and cup matches.
City were hit by injury and illness before the game commenced. With Matthew Bicknell still not recovered from the heavy knock he had taken in the previous round away at Mossley, he was joined on the sidelines by Liam Green through injury whilst target man Ian Mancey was unable to travel, being hospitalised by a mystery viral illness.
City started brightly against a side that had been unable to play for three weeks following their previous FA Vase victory away at Nantwich, owing to the adverse weather conditions. On a bright afternoon with a swirling wind a wide uneven pitch saw Lloyd Webber waste an early opportunity to test home goalkeeper Ryan Lemmon.
The home side soon settled into their pattern of play and forced City on the back foot for a period. The home sides strike-force showed why they themselves had been potent in front of goal so far this season, being prompted in the middle of the park by captain Justin Fox who’s midfield tussle with City’s own captain Danny Smith lacked no desire.
Simon Arthur in the City goal made a good early save at the feet of Wroxham striker Gary McGee, then a break by Wroxham winger Matty Neale saw him fire narrowly wide with Arthur advancing. Midway through the opening half Neales cross was controlled in the six-yard box by leading scorer Russell Stock but he lifted his final shot over the bar. The City defence, with Mark Blake, David Goss and Toby Redwood commanding virtually saw Stock ineffective, the striker did produce one long range effort that went just over but overall he was well shackled.
Following a brief spell of pressure from the home side, the City midfield managed to take control of the match again. Right wing raider Shaun Dyke gave Josh Carus a torrid afternoon, swinging in crosses and being allowed so much freedom. Andrew Forbes headed narrowly wide from a Dyke cross before City took the lead on twenty-nine minutes. Danny Smith won the ball in the middle of the park, laying a pass into the feet of Forbes, who returned the ball to Smith to allow the skipper to bury a low shot wide to the right of the advancing Lemmon and City were ahead.
Immediately after City almost added a second, Lloyd Webbers cross was headed just wide by Forbes. As the interval approached City almost did add to their score. Forbes saw a header from a Smith corner cleared off the line, then from a Smith free kick Mark Blake had a header excellently saved by Lemmon. At the other end of the park Matty Neale took the ball away from Arthur after the keeper had gone to try and smother the ball at the strikers feet. Neale laid the ball back across the face of the City goal but no home striker had made the appropriate run to get on the end of the cross.
Steve Tate emerged as a second half substitute at the expense of Stewart Lang, Adam Rogers switching to right back and Shaun Dyke to the left flank. Tate run for the rest of the afternoon never giving up any lost cause and Dyke continued to cause problems on the opposite flank to which he had tormented the home side in the first half. Eight minutes into the second period and City were rewarded with a second goal. Smith this time the creator with a pass into Forbes who beat a defender before coolly playing a shot in the bottom corner of the net for his fifty ninth goal of the season. Two minutes later and City were almost safe; a fine shot from Smith hit the foot of the post but rolled away to safety.
Forbes limped away from the action for City with eighteen minutes remaining, but City had two quick opportunities following his departure with Rogers having a shot saved by the feet of Lemmon and Webber firing just wide of the target.
Wroxham threatened briefly to pull a goal back and set up a nailbiting final few minutes. When the fourth official decreed there would be five minutes stoppage time again Wroxham lifted their game, Simon Arthur producing a fine save to deny McGee, that being the home sides final action on the City goal.
The game drifted away with Webber finishing really strong setting up Kevin Brewster only for the substitute to shoot over when well placed. In the fourth minute of stoppage another strong run by Webber saw him turn the ball into the path of Smith for Smith to fire home the third goal of the afternoon and send City in the last eight of the F A Vase.
City : Arthur, Dyke, Lang (Tate 45), Redwood, Goss, Blake, Webber, G Green, Rogers (Brewster 90), Forbes (Waite 72), Smith Unused subs Rastall and Hall
Document last updated: 07/06/2007
