Sydenhams Wessex League

BAT Sports 0 Winchester City 4

City proved much too strong for the newly assembled team of youngsters at B A T Sports on Friday evening. Including former Winchester City players Scott Jacobs, Wayne Smith and Adam George, the home side gave a good account of themselves, but some clinical finishing by City saw then score four goals for their third consecutive league fixture.

There were early warnings for B A T Sports. After four minutes Franny Dolan’s cross was pushed out by goalkeeper Jacobs but Ian Mancey failed to make the most of the opportunity. Play immediately switched to the opposite end of the park when Byron Gharibian forced a good save from David Hook in the City goal.

B A T Sports kept their goal in tact until the thirteenth minute. Liam Greens ball into Jamie Musselwhite saw the striker turn on the ball before firing a shot which had too much power for Jacobs and the ball squirmed away from him and over the line.

Musselwhite was unlucky not to have added to the score after twenty-seven minutes, his header from another Dolan cross was saved by Jacobs. As City went in search of a second goal a long range shot from Tommy McCormick went just over.

On the half hour, McCormick’s drive across the box fell to Musselwhite. The striker’s powered shot again had too much force for Jacobs and Musselwhite wheeled away with his second goal of the evening.

The constant thorn in City's side was striker James Thorny, the ex Eastleigh youngster teased and prompted at the City defence all evening. Following the second City goal B A T Sports had a series of attacks led by Thornby, the striker seeing one effort saved by Hook then his strike partner Gharibian foiled at the second attempt by the City keeper.

Dolan was denied by another Jacobs shot, then Musselwhite seemingly on course for his hat trick was denied by a last ditch tackle by Andy Thompson. Ian Mancey was the next City player to be denied by Jacobs before the interval.

Mancey was on the spot within the opening sixty seconds of the second period to add to City’s score but Jacobs was again equal to the effort.

On the hour City’s saw the distressing scene of Marl Lisk being stretchered off following a challenge. The suspected ligament damage was later diagnosed as only tweaked so it is hoped that Licks’ absence from the side will only be short term

The third City goal finally arrived after sixty-nine minutes. Liam Greens free kick to the far post saw Mancey heading home his fourth league goal of the campaign so far. A minute later and matters were worsening for B A T Sports when George was dismissed by referee Mr C Brokenshaw appearingly for dissent.

In the final three minutes of the game, B A T Sports went close to claiming a consolation goal. Pace took Thornby beyond the City defence but Hook was equal to the strikers shot, then another Thornby effort was saved again by Hook. As the game entered stoppage time ma long ball cross field by McCormick was collected by Dolan who shrugged off a defensive challenge before firing home his first goal in City colours.

B A T Sports : Jacobs, Wyeth, Thompson (Hodge), Smith, Cole (O’Shea), Lowther, Proctor (Barrett), George, Gharibian, Bryant, Thornby Unused sub Brunnen

Winchester : Hook, Dolan, Lisk (Sumner 61), Jones (Redwood 45), Lang, G Green, Dean (Kneller 61), McCormick, Mancey, Musselwhite, L Green Unused subs Brown, Walker-Harris