Sydenhams Wessex League

Gosport Borough 1 Winchester City 2

Two goals in the last ten minutes gave caretaker boss Steve Tate his second victory against stern opposition in the first five days of his leadership. Keeping the same side that had defeated Lymington & New Milton in the Hampshire Senior Cup in their previous match.

Few in the 215 crowd would expect the high drama finish especially early on when Gosport claimed a fourth minute lead. In a game full of irony with former City manger John Robson in charge of the home side they were celebrating with the aid of two further ex City players. Kevin Brewster’s pass into the path of Jamie Laidlaw saw the copyright Laidlaw finish lofting the ball over David Hook and just under the bar.

City held a lot of possession throughout the game but rarely tested the Gosport back line that was missing two of their regular defenders. Included in the Gosport midfield was their new signing from Godalming Town Michael Douglas who had also been the subject of an approach from City earlier this month. Douglas had a good strong debut helped by ex Bashley midfielder Darren Robson.

Toby Sumner’s long throw was flicked on by Jamie Musselwhite for Mark Lilley to turn and shoot but produced a fine stop from home goalkeeper Mark Brown. Gosport created their own chances, Neil Scammells header from a Ian Dyer cross went straight at Hook then Douglas looking suspiciously offside, curled a shot just wide of the angle of post and bar. With the City defence sometimes looking in disarray, Mark Jones made a last gasp interception on the half hour when Laidlaw was waiting to pounce.

City’s best chance of the half was from a Musselwhite shot from the edge of the box, which Brown managed to push away but no City player was following up.

City started the second half in better fashion. Shaun Dyke became more involved and was starting to cause problems on the right flank. Two early changes to personnel and positional by Tate saw immediate return to causing concern to the Gosport rearguard. Christer Warren having been reverted to striker from his left back role slid a shot just wide of the target following a Dyke cross.

On sixty-eight minutes a corner for City saw Mark Jones effort blocked by a Gosport defender. Gosport exerted a quick counter attack with a long kick from Brown bouncing nicely in the opposite area for Laidlaw to seemingly net his second goal of the afternoon, but the fingertips of Hook produced the save of the afternoon and keep City in the game.

Robson was withdrawn clearly fatigued from the Gosport midfield and for Gosports part the afternoon started to go wrong. Four minutes following Robsons departure Musselwhite won the ball midway in the Gosport half and threaded the ball through for Warren to steer the ball under Brown and notch what City thought was not only an equaliser but probably at best a draw.

The City side though had other ideas. Brown had to be at his best to stop another Warren effort after Dave King had headed on a Ben Thomson corner. From a Dyke cross Kings poor header went wide. Gosport produced another break with substitute John Cripps firing across the face of goal.

The game was sixty seconds into stoppage time when a cross from the right by Liam Green saw the brace figure of Musselwhite getting his head on to the ball and over the line for an incredible City winner.

Gosport : Brown, Stone, Keogh (Cripps 68), Rew, Mann, Brewster, Douglas, Robson (Tryon 77), Scammell, Laidlaw, Dyer (Buckland 68) Unused subs Paul, May

Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Warren, Mark Jones, Mat Jones, Sumner (D King 55), Dyke, McCormick, Lilley (Thomson 55), Musselwhite, L Green Unused subs Kneller, Dolan, Walker-Harris