Sydenhams Wessex League

Lymington Town 2 Winchester City 3

Before the game manager Steve Tate was enthusing about the quality of the City midfield. Liam Green, Lloyd Webber, Christer Warren and Shaun Dyke. Formidable at any standard but on a heavy Lymington pitch on a day not for the football purist, City did not produce any where near their best but managed to earn the full three points.

The home side welcomed Charlie Balfe into their midfield having a few games with them whilst returning from injury for his normal side Conference South outfit Bognor Regis Town. Starting with a five-man midfield and a one man up front in the form of normal defender Danny Steer, the game eventually turned out into an entertaining for the neutral ninety minutes with chances at either end.

Some poor defending by City cost them both goals against whilst losing both Stewart Lang and Ian Buckman with injuries did further disrupt the City side. On twelve minutes a ball into the City area by the tricky winger Kevin James was miscued completely by Lang and it was left for David Hook to make an excellent stop to deny Danny Veal.

Two minutes later and City were ahead and quietly confident of a rousing victory. Dykes cross from the right was only pushed away by home goalkeeper Stuart Williamson and Jamie Musselwhite accepted the loose ball to thunder home his and City’s first of the afternoon.

Four minutes later City thought they had gone further ahead. Musselwhite was fouled on the edge of the box but the ball ran for Warren. Returning to the side following injury Warren buried a left foot shot just inside the post with Williamson beaten. Much to City’s despair referee Mr K Horrigan pulled the play back and awarded a free kick for the foul on Musselwhite. From the free kick Warren curled the ball round the defensive wall but the wrong side of the post.

The decision could have had further significance. With Lymington releasing Veal into a forwards role from his midfield duties Lymington were level midway through the half. A mix up in the City defence left Hook stranded, his attempts to stop the Lymington striker appeared to have brought the home side a penalty award but the ball fell for Steer who squeezed the ball past a City defender on the post and after an agonising few seconds referee Horrigan turned away signalling a goal with both sets of players unsure of the award. Soon after Lang limped away from the action to be replaced by Ross Lewis.

Twenty-seven minutes of the first half and City were ahead again. Ten yards out Musselwhite drove a low shot through the legs of Williamson for the second City goal of the afternoon. Three minutes later Ian Mancey headed a Dyke corner just wide and as play broke to the other end City were seemingly pegged back again. Another poor back pass to Hook fell short and Hooks attempted clearance struck the onrushing James and the ball rolled back into the net, this time the effort was disallowed for handball against James, to the relief of the City side.

Lymington did not have to wait long until they had claimed a legitimate equaliser. Thirty-six minutes Veal laid the ball off for Paul Sims to fire the home side level. There were still chances for both sides before the interval to add to the score. Musselwhite headed over from a Dyke cross and Veal drilled a shot just wide of the target, but the four goals were still shared at the interval.

The second half brought about as much drama and action but only one goal. The goal arrived eight minutes into the half. A free kick from deep in his own half on the right hand side by Buckman fell for Musselwhite who waited for the ball to stand up before sending a vicious low shot past Williamson to complete the strikers hat trick with his twenty ninth goal of the season.

Buckman had to be replaced by midfielder Danny Wakefield who had to slot into an unfamiliar right back role. Lymington tried to expose the position but City managed to hold on. On the hour Hook was the victim of another short ball played back to him, Steer intercepted but ran out of pitch after taking the ball round Hook.

Dyke ghosted past his full back before sending over a cross from which Musselwhite had a s hot saved by Williamson and with play switching to the City end a tackle by Lewis on James saw the ball fall for Steer who wasted the scoring opportunity.

City almost added to their lead with Musselwhite again seeing a shot saved by Williamson and a back header by Warren from a Green cross just over the bar. For the home side an opportunist effort by James from long range went just over but City were grateful for all three points with their nearest challengers Thatcham and Hamworthy both dropping points and Andover having their game postponed.

Lymington Town : Williamson, Stride Ritchie (Tate 67), Marden, Cummings, P Sims, Balfe, Veal, Steer (Facer 80), Brennan (Metcalfe 73), James Unused subs Butler, Ryan

Winchester : Hook, Buckman (Wakefield 60), Bicknell, Davies, Lang (R Lewis 23), Dyke, Webber, Mancey (Mulhern 73), Musselwhite, Green Unused subs Lilley and Chapman