Tuesday 10th January
Russell Cotes Cup
Gosport Borough 1 Winchester City 0
For the third time in four season, Gosport Borough out an end to Winchester City’s hopes of making the finals of the Russell Cotes Cup, with this single goal Quarter Final victory. It was left to former City striker Jamie Laidlaw to net the only goal of the game with a usual ‘Laidlaw style’ finish which City fans had seen many times before two minutes away from the sides going into extra time, this would have been the third time in four years as the two other games had both reached penalty shoot outs.
City were close to full; strength, David Hook, Ian Buckman and Ian Mancey were rested which allowed a return to first team action for the first time since November 2002, the 26 year old having been playing junior soccer until earlier this season when he returned to play for City Reserves. Nelson gave a good display with a nice first touch and not shirking any challenges.
It was an unusual poor City versus Gosport duel. Usually full of goals and end-to-end entertainment, the match never really raised itself above first gear. Goalmouth incidents were few and far between. City were restricted to long range efforts the first arriving after eleven minutes when Stewart Lang let fly from thirty five yards which was saved by Steve May in the Gosport goal.
Mark Jones reluctantly walked off from the action three minutes later with the recurrence of a hamstring strain as the game failed to really enthral the small 119 crowd. On thirty six minutes a long ball put of the City defence was unwittingly laid into the path of Shaun Dyke by the head of a Gosport defender but City’s winger shot tamely at May when through on goal.
The second half opened more brightly. Within two minutes of the restart a Gosport corner saw Neil Scammell holding his head in anguish as his header from a corner came back off the upright. This was though just a spark and the action did not ignite. On the hour Nelson headed a Dyke free kick just wide whilst three minutes later Mark Zawadski did well to produce a stop from Lee Paul.
As the game entered the last ten minutes there were further chances. Peter Murphy had a free kick saved by Zawadski then Gosport had the ball in the back of the net. Three minutes remained when Murphy headed home a left wing cross from Simon Stone but referee Mr D Beament disallowed the effort for an earlier infringement.
The home side were not to be denied though. A minute later, Laidlaw on as a substitute collected the ball out wide on the right some thirty yards from goal, steadied himself before sending a gliding shot through the air over the top of Zawadski before nestling in the back of the net, a goal far more deserved to a better ninety minutes but a match winner in any case.
City produced a couple of openings in stoppage time as they tried to force extra time, the best being a cross from Jamie Musselwhite which was gathered into his body by May as a couple of City attackers waited to pounce.
Gosport : May, Gill, Cox, Camfield, Rew, Tryon, Murphy, Stone, Scammell, Paul (Laidlaw 73), Douglas Unused subs Mann, Robson, Heather, Boud
Winchester : Zawadski, Davies, Bicknell, Mark Jones (R Lewis 14), Lang, McCormick, Dyke, Webber, Nelson (Lilley 73), Musselwhite, Green Unused subs N Lewis, Wakefield and Chapman
Gosport Borough 1 Winchester City 0
For the third time in four season, Gosport Borough out an end to Winchester City’s hopes of making the finals of the Russell Cotes Cup, with this single goal Quarter Final victory. It was left to former City striker Jamie Laidlaw to net the only goal of the game with a usual ‘Laidlaw style’ finish which City fans had seen many times before two minutes away from the sides going into extra time, this would have been the third time in four years as the two other games had both reached penalty shoot outs.
City were close to full; strength, David Hook, Ian Buckman and Ian Mancey were rested which allowed a return to first team action for the first time since November 2002, the 26 year old having been playing junior soccer until earlier this season when he returned to play for City Reserves. Nelson gave a good display with a nice first touch and not shirking any challenges.
It was an unusual poor City versus Gosport duel. Usually full of goals and end-to-end entertainment, the match never really raised itself above first gear. Goalmouth incidents were few and far between. City were restricted to long range efforts the first arriving after eleven minutes when Stewart Lang let fly from thirty five yards which was saved by Steve May in the Gosport goal.
Mark Jones reluctantly walked off from the action three minutes later with the recurrence of a hamstring strain as the game failed to really enthral the small 119 crowd. On thirty six minutes a long ball put of the City defence was unwittingly laid into the path of Shaun Dyke by the head of a Gosport defender but City’s winger shot tamely at May when through on goal.
The second half opened more brightly. Within two minutes of the restart a Gosport corner saw Neil Scammell holding his head in anguish as his header from a corner came back off the upright. This was though just a spark and the action did not ignite. On the hour Nelson headed a Dyke free kick just wide whilst three minutes later Mark Zawadski did well to produce a stop from Lee Paul.
As the game entered the last ten minutes there were further chances. Peter Murphy had a free kick saved by Zawadski then Gosport had the ball in the back of the net. Three minutes remained when Murphy headed home a left wing cross from Simon Stone but referee Mr D Beament disallowed the effort for an earlier infringement.
The home side were not to be denied though. A minute later, Laidlaw on as a substitute collected the ball out wide on the right some thirty yards from goal, steadied himself before sending a gliding shot through the air over the top of Zawadski before nestling in the back of the net, a goal far more deserved to a better ninety minutes but a match winner in any case.
City produced a couple of openings in stoppage time as they tried to force extra time, the best being a cross from Jamie Musselwhite which was gathered into his body by May as a couple of City attackers waited to pounce.
Gosport : May, Gill, Cox, Camfield, Rew, Tryon, Murphy, Stone, Scammell, Paul (Laidlaw 73), Douglas Unused subs Mann, Robson, Heather, Boud
Winchester : Zawadski, Davies, Bicknell, Mark Jones (R Lewis 14), Lang, McCormick, Dyke, Webber, Nelson (Lilley 73), Musselwhite, Green Unused subs N Lewis, Wakefield and Chapman
Document last updated: 08/06/2007
