Sydenhams Wessex League

Winchester City 1 VT FC 1

It was a disappointing performance from City on an afternoon that could have seen them consolidate their position at the top of the Sydenhams Wessex League. Although second placed Thatcham Town were sent to mtheir second defeat in five days, other contenders Andover scored a victory and Hamworthy United in their County Senior Cup would have been delighted to see City drop points to enable their contention to add momentum.

City started brightly enough, Jamie Musselwhite had already gone close before he did actually open the scoring after only four minutes. Shaun Dykes right wing cross was helped on by Ian Mancey and Musselwhite was at the far post to turn home his twenty sixth goal of the season.

Seven minutes later and VT were level. An unusually shaky City defence saw Matt Davies header back to goalkeeper David Hook fall short and Michael Spinney nipped into the open space to steer home the equaliser.

City’s performance for the rest of the first period was below its normal high standards. The visiting side were in no mood to show any respect for their hosts and chased and harried every ball. On the quarter of an hour Paris Virgin missed an ideal opportunity to give the visitors the lead. For City Lloyd Webber had a long-range effort saved by Scott O’Rourke and City’s best other chance of the opening half saw Musselwhite shoot over after O’Rourke had failed to gather a Tommy McCormick corner that he had come to claim.

The second half saw City produce several attacks but failed to break down a blanket of yellow of the VT defence that at several times had nine men back behind the ball. The more City grew in frustration and led to a cavalier style they left spaces in their defence that were exploited on a couple of occasions by the VT side.

Webber had an effort blocked during one such City attack by s VT defender nine minutes into the second period whilst Liam Green tried his luck with a long-range effort on the hour but O’Rourke gathered safely. A Webber run ands cross from the right after sixty-seven minutes saw Musselwhite head just over the bar.

On one of the occasions that the City rearguard were caught short after seventy minutes, Hook missed his clearance and Spinney rolled a shot wide of the target. Play switched back to the other end with City looking for that all important second goal. Musselwhite shot over the bar, another Green drive was deflected off a defender leaving O’Rourke flatfooted and beaten but the ball went the wrong side of the post. A Dyke corner saw Stewart Lang volley wide then another Dyke cross gave Mancey a chance but his header was saved by O’Rourke.

The overworked VT defence suddenly released Spinney for a run on goal with only five minutes remaining, again the striker slipped the ball pats the onrushing Hook but wide of the target. For the remaining five minutes plus six minutes of stoppage time added by the referee for a mixture of time wasting tactics by the visiting side saw City all out on the VT goal. Webber shot wide, Manceys diving header saved buy O’Rourke, Green had another long-range effort saved and Mark Jones adding to the attack saw his drive pushed over the bar by O‘Rourke. Green shot over from outside the area in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but the VT defence held out to earn themselves a point.

Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Davies (Lang 45), Green, Dyke, Webber, Mancey, Musselwhite, McCormick (Rusher 77) Unused subs Kneller, Wakefield and Zawadski

VT FC: O’Rourke, Calder, Diaper, Gibbens, Bright, Foster, McLean, Byrne, Spinney, Turner (Gray 90), Virgin Unused subs Pattison, Speight, Fooks