Sydenhams Wessex League

Winchester City 1 Moneyfields 0

City welcomed defender Matthew Bicknell back to the fold after a brief stay away at Ryman League Premier Division side Windsor & Eton. Bicknell settled into his normal role at left back allowing Christer Warren to move in to a striker’s role to accompany Jamie Musselwhite as City’s spearhead for the afternoon.

Moneyfields having already beaten City earlier this season were also without on of their main strikers in Nicky Wyatt who had failed a morning fitness test, but it was the visitors who had the better opening. Both Kevin Murphy and Lee Mould had chance in the first five minutes but failed to test City goalkeeper David Hook.

In the tenth minute with almost their first attack City had a good opportunity to open the scoring. A corner by Shaun Dyke from the City right saw Mat Jones rise highest and head the ball back across goal and with Christer Warren tussling with visiting goalkeeper Dean Wain, Musselwhite completely missed his shot.

Nine minutes later a Liam Green free kick into the area saw Musselwhite and Wain colliding, which ended with both players in need of lengthy treatment. Christer Warren having netted in the meantime but an infringement being given for the clash between Wain and Musselwhite.

Wain need further treatment minutes later again with relation to the earlier collision. City had another good opportunity midway through the half, Dyke who was causing concern on the right flank, sent in another cross which saw Musselwhite produce a poor header in front of goal the ball falling for Tommy McCormick who sent a shot flashing back across the face of Wain and to safety.

Wain showed he had recovered from his earlier injuries, first by thumping a ball from a drop kick right in front of Lee Mould for a run on goal but the striker produced a weak shot from a good position but City were starting to play some confident football. On thirty-three minutes McCormick who had spent the first half tirelessly up and down the left flank sent in a cross, which Warren laid back for Michael Dean to fire over the bar.

With thirty-eight minutes played City did take the lead. An excellent pass from deep in side his own half by Musselwhite fell just right behind the Moneyfields defence allowing Dyke to run on and slide the ball past the advancing Wain and allow the Dyke cartwheel celebration.

Minutes before the interval Dyke was in action again, this time linking up with Bicknell, Dyke then skipping past three challenges but laying the ball off rather than firing for goal and as the game entered stoppage time in the first half an excellent save from Wain stopped a Mat Jones header from a Dyke corner.

It was a high quality first half with both sides electing to play their normal passing games. The second half never matched the same heights. City opened brightly Warren being pulled to the ground in the area but the referee was unimpressed by the claims then Dean fired a shot wide of the target.

Overall though the game ebbed into a midfield battle. With twenty minutes to go the visitors found themselves down to ten men. Having only minutes earlier having been cautioned for a similar offence, Moneyfields striker Lee Mould was facing a straight red card by referee Mr D Potter for leading with an elbow. Would City capitalise. McCormick not long after broke through from the City back line and produced a shot from fully thirty yards but his effort went just wide but it was then left to Moneyfields to finish off with two gilt edged chances.

Eighty-six minutes had been played when Russell Rackley found himself completely unmarked at the far post but shot wide of the target. In the last minute substitute Graeme Gilman also had an excellent opportunity when racing onto a through ball from Guy Rutherford only managed to slide the ball past the post.

A good three points for City although not the most convincing of displays.

Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Mat Jones, Dean (Mancey 66), Dyke, McCormick, Warren (Thomson 85), Musselwhite, L Green Unused subs Kneller, D King, Walker-Harris

Moneyfields : D Wain, Clark, Elias (Knight 82), Murphy, M Rutherford, Rackley, Kerridge, Gee, Mould, G Rutherford, Singh (Gilman 76)