Sydenhams Wessex League

Winchester City 5 Brockenhurst 0

City finally gained a convincing win over struggling Brockenhurst on Saturday. Jamie Musselwhite returned to the side, as did Shaun Dyke. Dyke caused the Brockenhurst left side of defence concern all afternoon whilst Musselwhite having taken another knock on his injured ankle finally limped away from the action on the hour mark.

It was not the most entertaining of first halves. The midfield battle of twin brothers in City’s Pete Smith and Brockenhurst's Chris saw both players at times looking gingerly at each other as they limped their way back into the action. Brockenhurst forced an early chance after six minutes when a ball across the face of goal saw Danny Marks failing to connect and test City goalkeeper David Hook. For City Musselwhite swung over a cross from the right wing from which Ian Mancey headed wide.

City took the lead after twenty-eight minutes. Dyke teased Joe Bye before slipping the ball to his right and sending a cross into the area where Mancey used a textbook header to edge City in front. Two minutes later Dyke had an opportunity to double the score but shot over the bar. As the half drew on and with seven minutes remaining, Matthew Bicknell sent a cross in from the left flank where again Mancey rose above everybody this time to watch his hdeader crash against the bar.

The early part of the second half saw little improvement. Musselwhite turned in the area and saw his shot saved by the legs of Brockenhurst goalkeeper Peter Houkes whilst a speculative long range effort from Marks saw Hook furiously back pedalling to tip the effort over the bar.

The game changed pace on the hour when Musselwhite was replaced by Paul Nelson. The strong running and retuned enthusiasm of Nelson suddenly rubbed off on the rest of the team. Within five minutes of his arrival Nelson was celebrating a goal. Dyke the provider, Nelson the scorer with a diving header to put City two ahead.

Seventy two minutes and Dyke this time flighted a free kick into the Brockenhurst area where Mancey glanced a header pat Houkes for City’s third. Mark Jones headed a Dyke corner just wide two minutes later but on seventy-six minutes City added their fourth. It was Dykes fourth assist of the afternoon. Setting up a header for Mancey to head home his hat trick inside the six yard box for his eighth goal in three games and number thirty for the season.

The contest itself was over as City went in search of more goals. Ten minutes remained when Nelson and Ian Buckman combined and with passes on the edge of the area Buckman found himself with only Houkes to beat but the keepers legs deflected away Buckmans shot.

Four minutes remained when City added their fifth goal. Smith’s first touch seemed to have taken him too far and a goal kick looked the outcome. Smith though managed to get his foot behind the ball and turn back for Nelson to turn home his second goal of the afternoon and his third goal in two games.

There was still time for Hook to have to deny Marks again to maintain his clean sheet and for Lloyd Webber to fire a shot the wrong side of the post.

Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Davies (Mark Jones 67), Mat Jones, Webber, Dyke, Smith, Mancey, Musselwhite (Nelson 60), Green (Wakefield 84) Unused subs Mulhern and Chapman

Brockenhurst : Houkes, Hillyer, Jeffrey, Holt (Krauss 77), Saunders, Marks, C Smith, Monk (Beck 77), Clarke, Kemp, Bye (Harris 83) Unused sub Sparshatt