Winchester City 1 Christchurch 0

The tiring run of matches is appearing to have started taking its toll on a City side that were scoring goals for fun a couple of weeks ago, only managed one in their last tow matches. To their credit a youthful Christchurch side battled against the City and defended very well against anything that City could create. But at this stage of the season it is now the results that matter more than the performances. The fact of the matter is that at the present time City need to win five more of their remaining seven games to win the Sydenhams Wessex League title in their first season in the competition.

Manager Neil Hards gave debuts to new boys wingers Stuart Cooper and midfielder Gary Funnell, whilst the third new recent arrival Jamie Laidlaw had to be content with a starting place on the bench. Matthew Bicknell and Liam Green were both missing through injury.

Chances were few throughout the match, Andy Forbes midway through the half saw a header deflected away for a corner whilst Forbes then turned provider on twenty nine minutes his cross being headed just wide by Ian Mancey.

City were not to be outdone though and a minute later a Danny Smith corner saw Lloyd Webber turn the ball on for Mancey to strike home his thirtieth goal of the campaign.

A David Goss header on the stroke of half time saw Christchurch keeper Max Frampton superbly rise to tip the ball over the bar. The second period again saw few chances created Smith coming closest to adding to the score breaking through only for Frampton to deny again.

City : Arthur, Dyke (Lang), Cooper, Redwood, Goss, Blake, Webber (Brewster), Funnell, Mancey, Forbes (Laidlaw), Smith