Sydenhams Wessex League
Winchester City 3 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3
So the pendulum for the Sydenhams Wessex League title swung yet again, this time away from Winchester City, with a draw at home to a hard working Bemerton Heath outfit. With Lymington & New Milton cruising to a five nil victory, Lymington must win their last fixture to be sure of the title. Anything less though than a Lymington victory at home to Gosport Borough next Saturday means that Winchester City would need to secure a victory to reverse the roles.
Following the totally convincing victory at Andover some eight days earlier, City never came out of the starting blocks for this fixture. Bemerton showed danger early on with Nathan Renyard sending a header just over the bar. Bemerton challenged for every ball and with four ex City players in their line up were fired up not to lose.
A long range effort from mark Smith was saved by ex City keeper Darren Crowfoot whilst Ian Mancey had a shot blocked and then Matthew Bicknell fired a shot over the bar. A last ditch tackle from Graham Mankin denied Jamie Laidlaw a shooting opportunity.
Former City striker Stuart Findlay raced beyond a static City defence midway through the opening half but his effort was wildly off target. Soon after following a City attack Bemerton broke and again Findlay was the main threat but his effort went straight into the arms of Alan Walker-Harris. Jamie Musselwhite saw a header from a Liam Green corner saved by Crowfoot then Mark Smith ‘s cross saw Musselwhite shoot back across the face of goal.
On the stroke of half time Bemerton scored the opening goal. A cross to the far post by Adam Nash was met by the head of Neil Cole to nestle just inside the post and City were behind. City suddenly showed some eagerness and were level within ninety seconds. In stoppage time Mancey acrobatically scooped the ball back over his head following a corner and past Crowfoot for the equaliser. First half stoppage time still brought a chance for either side with Liam Green having an effort saved by Crowfoot and Findlay heading wide from another Nash cross.
Four minutes into the second period and Bemerton were ahead again. Findlay dispossessed Ian Buckman and although having ran wide, Findlay angled a shot under the diving body of Walker-Harris and City had it all to do again.
City did have their chances. A Liam Green free kick saw Mancey have a header saved by Crowfoot. Laidlaw and Mancey combined to lay up Mark Smith who shot low into the side netting. Mancey made himself space on the edge of the area but shot wide of the target.
Manager Neil Hards then played a gamble substitution. Taking off defender Jamie Austen replacing him with teenage striker Ben Kneller, City in effect now had four strikers on the pitch. Musselwhite had a shot from the edge of the area saved by Crowfoot before the all out attacking City were caught short in defence.
The ever-dangerous Findlay was left one on one with a City defender after seventy-four minutes, a clever run and finish saw the striker steal away with his second goal of the afternoon and City with a two-goal deficit to pull back. A minute later and Findlay set up Cole but his effort was wide.
Laidlaw lobbed a shot just over the bar before City pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining. A cross from Rob Chamberlain saw Kneller shoot across the six-yard box Musselwhite steered the ball back home across the line to give City a lifeline.
Still short on number at the back, Mark Jones produced a fine challenge on Findlay to stop City going further behind before City scored an equaliser in the last minute. A Mark Smith corner into the six-yard Bemerton Heath box saw Walker-Harris arriving with a diving header to send the ball goalwards. Although it appeared that the keeper had scored the goal, the keeper was honest enough afterwards to admit that he may not have got the final touch and the claimant went to Ian Mancey who did edge the ball over the line. What ever City were now level.
Despite desperate attempts to get a winning goal, there was nothing materialised so City slip to second.
City : Walker-Harris, Gee (Rogers 47), Bicknell, Jones, Austen (Kneller 69), Buckman, M Smith, Musselwhite, Mancey, Laidlaw, L Green (Chamberlain 76)
Bemerton : Crowfoot, Renyard, Nash, Harding, Boswell, Baker (Collier), Chalk, Ahmet, Findlay, Cole, Mankin Unused subs Guy and Slade
Winchester City 3 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3
So the pendulum for the Sydenhams Wessex League title swung yet again, this time away from Winchester City, with a draw at home to a hard working Bemerton Heath outfit. With Lymington & New Milton cruising to a five nil victory, Lymington must win their last fixture to be sure of the title. Anything less though than a Lymington victory at home to Gosport Borough next Saturday means that Winchester City would need to secure a victory to reverse the roles.
Following the totally convincing victory at Andover some eight days earlier, City never came out of the starting blocks for this fixture. Bemerton showed danger early on with Nathan Renyard sending a header just over the bar. Bemerton challenged for every ball and with four ex City players in their line up were fired up not to lose.
A long range effort from mark Smith was saved by ex City keeper Darren Crowfoot whilst Ian Mancey had a shot blocked and then Matthew Bicknell fired a shot over the bar. A last ditch tackle from Graham Mankin denied Jamie Laidlaw a shooting opportunity.
Former City striker Stuart Findlay raced beyond a static City defence midway through the opening half but his effort was wildly off target. Soon after following a City attack Bemerton broke and again Findlay was the main threat but his effort went straight into the arms of Alan Walker-Harris. Jamie Musselwhite saw a header from a Liam Green corner saved by Crowfoot then Mark Smith ‘s cross saw Musselwhite shoot back across the face of goal.
On the stroke of half time Bemerton scored the opening goal. A cross to the far post by Adam Nash was met by the head of Neil Cole to nestle just inside the post and City were behind. City suddenly showed some eagerness and were level within ninety seconds. In stoppage time Mancey acrobatically scooped the ball back over his head following a corner and past Crowfoot for the equaliser. First half stoppage time still brought a chance for either side with Liam Green having an effort saved by Crowfoot and Findlay heading wide from another Nash cross.
Four minutes into the second period and Bemerton were ahead again. Findlay dispossessed Ian Buckman and although having ran wide, Findlay angled a shot under the diving body of Walker-Harris and City had it all to do again.
City did have their chances. A Liam Green free kick saw Mancey have a header saved by Crowfoot. Laidlaw and Mancey combined to lay up Mark Smith who shot low into the side netting. Mancey made himself space on the edge of the area but shot wide of the target.
Manager Neil Hards then played a gamble substitution. Taking off defender Jamie Austen replacing him with teenage striker Ben Kneller, City in effect now had four strikers on the pitch. Musselwhite had a shot from the edge of the area saved by Crowfoot before the all out attacking City were caught short in defence.
The ever-dangerous Findlay was left one on one with a City defender after seventy-four minutes, a clever run and finish saw the striker steal away with his second goal of the afternoon and City with a two-goal deficit to pull back. A minute later and Findlay set up Cole but his effort was wide.
Laidlaw lobbed a shot just over the bar before City pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining. A cross from Rob Chamberlain saw Kneller shoot across the six-yard box Musselwhite steered the ball back home across the line to give City a lifeline.
Still short on number at the back, Mark Jones produced a fine challenge on Findlay to stop City going further behind before City scored an equaliser in the last minute. A Mark Smith corner into the six-yard Bemerton Heath box saw Walker-Harris arriving with a diving header to send the ball goalwards. Although it appeared that the keeper had scored the goal, the keeper was honest enough afterwards to admit that he may not have got the final touch and the claimant went to Ian Mancey who did edge the ball over the line. What ever City were now level.
Despite desperate attempts to get a winning goal, there was nothing materialised so City slip to second.
City : Walker-Harris, Gee (Rogers 47), Bicknell, Jones, Austen (Kneller 69), Buckman, M Smith, Musselwhite, Mancey, Laidlaw, L Green (Chamberlain 76)
Bemerton : Crowfoot, Renyard, Nash, Harding, Boswell, Baker (Collier), Chalk, Ahmet, Findlay, Cole, Mankin Unused subs Guy and Slade
Document last updated: 08/06/2007
