Tuesday 14th February
Sydenhams Wessex League
Alton Town 1 Winchester City 5
Four goal Ian Mancey led the way for City also having two goals disallowed as City convincingly won at struggling Alton Town to overcome their F A Vase nightmare. Manager Steve Tate brought Danny Wakefield into the side for a full ninety minutes with Shaun Dyke taking a role on the bench. There was also a return to the action albeit from the substitutes bench for Mark Jones after a hamstring injury.
City attacked from the outset. In the fourth minute Ian Mancey saw a shot pushed away by Alton goalkeeper James Macarthur. From the resultant corner the Alton defence did not clear their lines properly and the ball was played back into the box by Liam Green for Mancey to head home the first goal of the evening.
Green along with Lloyd Webber were prominent in the raids from the middle of the park. Green saw a right foot shot saved by Macarthur whilst midway through the half Mat Jones headed a Green corner over the bar. City’s second goal finally arrived on twenty-seven minutes. Wakefield’s ball into Mancey saw the burly striker dig the ball out of a glue pot pitch before angling a low shot past Macarthur.
Alton Town debutant former Bashley and Aldershot midfielder Darren Robson provided Alton’s first goal attempt but David Hook was equal to the effort making a double save as the ball rolled out to Richard Mealey. On thirty-nine minutes, skipper Matthew Bicknell, making his 200th appearance for the club, styled a pass through the Alton defence inch perfect for Pete Smith. Smith ran on and slid a shot under the advancing Macarthur but just wide of the upright also.
City started the second period in the same form. Smith saw an early effort pushed away by Macarthur before City added their third on fifty minutes. Alton saw Macarthur leave the field of play with an injury. His replacement was normal reserve custodian Matt Brock. His first action was to call for an in swinging Green corner from the right wing. Brocks attempt only pushed the ball backwards allowing Mancey to complete his hat trick.
City threatened to run up a large score for a while. Smith ran on to a Green pass but his shot struck the bar then Mancey shot home on fifty-four minutes after being set up by Smith but the effort was disallowed by a linesman’s offside flag.
The some complacency in the City defence allowed Alton to grab a goal back on fifty-eight minutes. Deryck Hockley from twenty-five yards with a shot that rocketed into the top of the net past a flat footed Hook.
With substitutes having arrived into the action, it led to mark Jones heading a Green corner over the bar before Paul Nelson netted on seventy-five minutes. Having been away from the first team action for a couple of years crowd favourite Nelson, was delighted top net his first goal since returning to first team action curling a shot from the edge of the box round a defender and beyond Brock.
Two minutes later Smiths cross was helped on by Nelson and Mancey slid home his twenty seventh goal of the season.
With six minutes remaining City almost conceded a comical consolation Alton goal A mix up between Bicknell and Hook allowed Mealey the opportunity of truning the ball into the net but an excellent recovering blaock from Mark Jones kept Alton at bay.
There was still time for City to add to their score. A cross-field ball from Smith found Mancey but his effort was pushed away by the keeper then Mancey had the ball in the net again but was then denied by the linesman again with an offside flag.
Alton : Macarthur (Brock 48), Marker, Vincent, Brown (Corbett 78), Ventham, Robson, Lloyd, Graham (Steer 55), Hockley, Mealey, Ferris Unused subs Carpenter and Ellis
Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mat Jones (Mark Jones 63), Davies, Webber (Mulhern 74), Wakefield, Smith, Mancey, Kneller (Nelson 67), Green Unused subs Dyke and Chapman
Alton Town 1 Winchester City 5
Four goal Ian Mancey led the way for City also having two goals disallowed as City convincingly won at struggling Alton Town to overcome their F A Vase nightmare. Manager Steve Tate brought Danny Wakefield into the side for a full ninety minutes with Shaun Dyke taking a role on the bench. There was also a return to the action albeit from the substitutes bench for Mark Jones after a hamstring injury.
City attacked from the outset. In the fourth minute Ian Mancey saw a shot pushed away by Alton goalkeeper James Macarthur. From the resultant corner the Alton defence did not clear their lines properly and the ball was played back into the box by Liam Green for Mancey to head home the first goal of the evening.
Green along with Lloyd Webber were prominent in the raids from the middle of the park. Green saw a right foot shot saved by Macarthur whilst midway through the half Mat Jones headed a Green corner over the bar. City’s second goal finally arrived on twenty-seven minutes. Wakefield’s ball into Mancey saw the burly striker dig the ball out of a glue pot pitch before angling a low shot past Macarthur.
Alton Town debutant former Bashley and Aldershot midfielder Darren Robson provided Alton’s first goal attempt but David Hook was equal to the effort making a double save as the ball rolled out to Richard Mealey. On thirty-nine minutes, skipper Matthew Bicknell, making his 200th appearance for the club, styled a pass through the Alton defence inch perfect for Pete Smith. Smith ran on and slid a shot under the advancing Macarthur but just wide of the upright also.
City started the second period in the same form. Smith saw an early effort pushed away by Macarthur before City added their third on fifty minutes. Alton saw Macarthur leave the field of play with an injury. His replacement was normal reserve custodian Matt Brock. His first action was to call for an in swinging Green corner from the right wing. Brocks attempt only pushed the ball backwards allowing Mancey to complete his hat trick.
City threatened to run up a large score for a while. Smith ran on to a Green pass but his shot struck the bar then Mancey shot home on fifty-four minutes after being set up by Smith but the effort was disallowed by a linesman’s offside flag.
The some complacency in the City defence allowed Alton to grab a goal back on fifty-eight minutes. Deryck Hockley from twenty-five yards with a shot that rocketed into the top of the net past a flat footed Hook.
With substitutes having arrived into the action, it led to mark Jones heading a Green corner over the bar before Paul Nelson netted on seventy-five minutes. Having been away from the first team action for a couple of years crowd favourite Nelson, was delighted top net his first goal since returning to first team action curling a shot from the edge of the box round a defender and beyond Brock.
Two minutes later Smiths cross was helped on by Nelson and Mancey slid home his twenty seventh goal of the season.
With six minutes remaining City almost conceded a comical consolation Alton goal A mix up between Bicknell and Hook allowed Mealey the opportunity of truning the ball into the net but an excellent recovering blaock from Mark Jones kept Alton at bay.
There was still time for City to add to their score. A cross-field ball from Smith found Mancey but his effort was pushed away by the keeper then Mancey had the ball in the net again but was then denied by the linesman again with an offside flag.
Alton : Macarthur (Brock 48), Marker, Vincent, Brown (Corbett 78), Ventham, Robson, Lloyd, Graham (Steer 55), Hockley, Mealey, Ferris Unused subs Carpenter and Ellis
Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mat Jones (Mark Jones 63), Davies, Webber (Mulhern 74), Wakefield, Smith, Mancey, Kneller (Nelson 67), Green Unused subs Dyke and Chapman
Document last updated: 08/06/2007
