Sydenhams Wessex League

Bournemouth 0 Winchester City 1

City recorded a hard earned three points with a sterling display at Bournemouth Poppies. Having taken a pint at the corresponding fixture at City earlier in the season and with Bournemouth still riding high, City knew they were in for a hard afternoon. With Tommy McCormick suspended, Danny Wakefield came in at the start and had an impressive afternoon, his work rate being noticed by many. Poppies themselves were without defender Adie Briscoe and captain Jon Wyatt due to injuries.

Bournemouth had the early play, Fawzi Saadi shooting narrowly over the bar from twenty yards after seven minutes, then four minutes later Scott Joyce headed a Lamin Dibba free kick just wide of the post. City were strong throughout the opening period and their best opening chance fell in the twelfth minute when Wakefield’s ball into the area was collected by Jamie Musselwhite but the strikers shot was saved by goalkeeper Jason Harvell.

Karim Benssaouda causing the City defence concern with his pace, got in behind the rearguard on sixteen minutes but the outstretched hand of the diving David Hook prevented the striker from an attempt on goal. The Poppies impetus then seemed to fade away for a while as City starting producing some of their best moves of the match.

With twenty-five minutes played, a City build up involving Shaun Dyke, Ian Mancey and Liam Green ended with Ian Buckman shooting wide. On the half hour Dykes cross to the far post was turned wide by Mancey, three minutes later Christer Warren fired over from, just outside the area.

Poppies produced a breakaway two minutes later where Joyces’ cross from the left flank saw Benssaouda head wide when well placed. As the interval approached both sides created openings. Musselwhite was denied a goal bound effort thanks to a last ditch tackle from James Guetling, the defender having to be substituted after a length spell of treatment and a brief return following his challenge. Warren fed in Mancey but again the striker shot off target. And in first half stoppage time Poppies had so far the best two chances of the afternoon. Benssaouda held his head in depart after a superb stop by Hook from his shot from six yards after being set up by Saadi, then Hook was again in action to deny Joyce.

Overall the game was turning into an interesting afternoons entertainment. City had the best opportunity at the start of the second period. Four minutes into the half, Musselwhite managed to get the ball round Harvell but then proceeded to prod the ball the wrong side of the upright. A minute later and Warren fired over again from outside the area, as frustration appeared to be growing in the City ranks.

Ten minutes into the half, Mancey had a shot parried away by Harvell only for Musselwhite to fire over the bar. On the hour Wakefield’s cross was headed over by Mancey as City took control of the game. The Poppies goal was leading a charmed life at time, Dyke looked across in despair as his low driven ball drifted across the six-yard box with three City players failing to get the final touch.

With twenty minutes to go Joyce created himself space =on the edge of the box bur again shot off target which was followed two minutes later by the only goal of the game. A City free kick on the half way line taken by Matthew Bicknell was collected on the edge of the area by Mancey. The big striker turned his defender James Baker before firing low past Harvell for his sixteenth goal of the season.

With ten minutes remaining of the match, Poppies Richard McCabe was shown a straight red card by referee Mr N Hickton for an off the ball incident seen by few of the spectators in the 111 crowd, for McCabe it was his third dismissal so far this season. It did not stop Poppies giving City a few scares in the final few minutes, the best remaining chance falling to Benssaouda who produced a dipping shot from thirty yards that went just over the bar.

City should have wrapped the game up in stoppage time when Liam Greens pass into the path of substitute Ben Kneller, saw Kneller slide the ball past the advancing Harvell but also past the post.

With the Andover v Thatcham fixture falling a victim to a frozen pitch, City returned to the top of the table.

Bournemouth : Harvell, Baker, Guetling (Fletcher 44), L Dibba, Constable, Saadi, McCabe, Dancer, Joyce, Benssaouda, Edwards Unused subs Hubbard, Merritt, Toy

Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Davies, Warren, Dyke, Wakefield, Mancey, Musselwhite (Kneller 85), L Green Unused subs Lang, Vavrecka, Dunk Zawadski