Saturday 25th February
Sydenhams Wessex League
Christchurch 0 Winchester City 1
A goal after only ten minutes proved to be the decider for this match. The quality goal from the head of Ian Mancey for his thirty first of the season was alien to the rest of the fixture.
Jamie Musselwhite was unfit for City so Paul Nelson came into the side from the outset whilst new signing Richard Mealey had to be content with a start on the bench. On a cold afternoon the match played in a blustery wind never got out of first gear. The home side worked hard for the entirety but as for Coty they did just enough to warrant a victory.
Matt Czastka for the home side flashed a shot across the face of goal on eight minutes. Two minutes later a City free kick worked on the left flank with Peter Smith and Matthew Bicknell saw a perfectly flighted cross from the left flank bye line by Shaun Dyke, his only appearance on that flank all afternoon, for the rising Mancey to power a header into the top of the net from ten yards out for his ninth goal in four games.
The rest of the opening half was instantly forgettable with neither goalkeeper being troubled into defending their goals.
The second period saw slightly more goalmouth action. Mancey was close to adding to his tally with a shot from the edge of the box on fifty-seven minutes but his effort went just over the bar. A minute later as it appeared City were about to liven up Liam Green curled a free kick just wide of the target.
The promises never came to fruition. Substitute Danny Wakefield replacing the injured Dyke, scuffed a shot from the edge of the box on seventy minutes as even the travelling City supporters contingent became subdued.
With a quarter of an hour remaining a deep cross into the City area from Tom Hughes was collected by Dave Roberts but his finish was taken by David Hook in the City goal which proved to be the home sides best attempt of the afternoon.
With six minutes left on the clock Lloyd Webber broke through from the middle of the park. Stumbling but keeping to his feet and under pressure from Hughes, Webber managed to get a shot on target but home goalkeeper Matt Hollier managed to tip the ball over the bar.
Mealey entered the fray for the final section of the match and showed promise. He combined well with Mancey with two minutes remaining but Mancey shot tamely wide of the target. In the last minute Mealey himself struck a swerving drive towards goal that was pushed away by the full length diving frame of Hollier.
Despite a luck lustre performance though, City still retained their place at the top of the Sydenhams Wessex League with this single goal victory.
Christchurch : Hollier, Rogers (Woolner 65), Elliott, Hodder, Hughes, Jenvey, Czastka, Lawrence, Roberts, Crutchley (Wardsley 77), Atkins (Puckett 71) Unused subs Ball and Dand
Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Mat Jones, Webber, Dyke (Wakefield 65), Smith, Mancey, Nelson (Mealey 73), Green Unused subs Davies, Vavrecka and Chapman
Christchurch 0 Winchester City 1
A goal after only ten minutes proved to be the decider for this match. The quality goal from the head of Ian Mancey for his thirty first of the season was alien to the rest of the fixture.
Jamie Musselwhite was unfit for City so Paul Nelson came into the side from the outset whilst new signing Richard Mealey had to be content with a start on the bench. On a cold afternoon the match played in a blustery wind never got out of first gear. The home side worked hard for the entirety but as for Coty they did just enough to warrant a victory.
Matt Czastka for the home side flashed a shot across the face of goal on eight minutes. Two minutes later a City free kick worked on the left flank with Peter Smith and Matthew Bicknell saw a perfectly flighted cross from the left flank bye line by Shaun Dyke, his only appearance on that flank all afternoon, for the rising Mancey to power a header into the top of the net from ten yards out for his ninth goal in four games.
The rest of the opening half was instantly forgettable with neither goalkeeper being troubled into defending their goals.
The second period saw slightly more goalmouth action. Mancey was close to adding to his tally with a shot from the edge of the box on fifty-seven minutes but his effort went just over the bar. A minute later as it appeared City were about to liven up Liam Green curled a free kick just wide of the target.
The promises never came to fruition. Substitute Danny Wakefield replacing the injured Dyke, scuffed a shot from the edge of the box on seventy minutes as even the travelling City supporters contingent became subdued.
With a quarter of an hour remaining a deep cross into the City area from Tom Hughes was collected by Dave Roberts but his finish was taken by David Hook in the City goal which proved to be the home sides best attempt of the afternoon.
With six minutes left on the clock Lloyd Webber broke through from the middle of the park. Stumbling but keeping to his feet and under pressure from Hughes, Webber managed to get a shot on target but home goalkeeper Matt Hollier managed to tip the ball over the bar.
Mealey entered the fray for the final section of the match and showed promise. He combined well with Mancey with two minutes remaining but Mancey shot tamely wide of the target. In the last minute Mealey himself struck a swerving drive towards goal that was pushed away by the full length diving frame of Hollier.
Despite a luck lustre performance though, City still retained their place at the top of the Sydenhams Wessex League with this single goal victory.
Christchurch : Hollier, Rogers (Woolner 65), Elliott, Hodder, Hughes, Jenvey, Czastka, Lawrence, Roberts, Crutchley (Wardsley 77), Atkins (Puckett 71) Unused subs Ball and Dand
Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Mat Jones, Webber, Dyke (Wakefield 65), Smith, Mancey, Nelson (Mealey 73), Green Unused subs Davies, Vavrecka and Chapman
Document last updated: 08/06/2007
