Tuesday 1st November
Sydenhams Wessex League
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1 Winchester City 6
Arguably City’s best opening forty five minutes of the season, sweeping aside a Bemerton side that had recorded a 2-1 F A Vase away victory at Wellington only three days earlier. The home side had their problems before the start with former City goalkeeper Darren Crowfoot being withdrawn from the side owing to injury and replaced by Luke Haviland. City welcomed back Jamie Musselwhite from suspension but were without the injured Mat Jones.
It was the home side that had the opening two chances. David Hook saved a long-range shot from Ian Chalk, and then a header from Neil Cole went wide. It was though from City’s first attack on six minutes that City went in front. On an excellent playing surface, Shaun Dyke fed the ball into Ian Mancey, the striker’s fine run and cross into the six yard area saw Tommy McCormick arriving home to thunder the ball into the net from close range.
From then on City played some excellent football and kept the home side penned back. The second goal arrived after thirteen minutes. Mancey helped Liam Greens through ball on and Musselwhite celebrated his return with a low shot past Haviland. Four minutes later Mancey having an excellent game turned on the edge of the box under pressure from Bemertons former City defender Jamie Boswell but fired wide.
City’s third goal came on twenty minutes. Dykes through ball saw Haviland race from his area to clear but completely missed his kick and Musselwhite shot into the unguarded net for his eighteenth goal of the season.
On the half hour Bemerton almost scored a response, following some good work in the middle of the park, the ball arrived into the area where Cole shot just off target. Two minutes later and City added their fourth. A cross into the area towards Musselwhite saw Paul Lucas only flick the ball beyond his own goalkeeper for City’s first own goal claim of the season.
As City threatened to run riot, Ian Buckman and Dyke combined for Buckman to have his shot saved by Haviland, quickly followed by another Musselwhite shot from the edge of the box also saved by the keeper.
Bemerton had two chances just before the interval, Paul Palmer got in behind the City defence but shot off target then a diving header from Cole saw another good top from Hook.
The second period was played in horrendous conditions, with a heavily increasing rainfall. Bemerton started the half brightly Nathan Renyard had a shot deflected away for a corner, but City gave a warning they were after further goals when five minutes into the half Mark Jones shot a free kick against the underside of the crossbar.
Mat Davies was giving a fine display on the back line and also Christer Warren in the middle of the park was having another excellent game for City. Fifty-eight minutes had been played though when Bemerton pulled a goal back. Renyards cross into the area saw Boswell leap to knock the ball down for Palmer to shot home.
City restored their four-goal advantage some seven minutes later. Warrens run into the area saw his shot blocked by the flailing arm of Jack Slade. The referee Mr A Davies had no alternative but to dismiss the offender Slade and Liam Green slotted home the penalty. Seventy-three minutes and Green repeated the act, same placed spot kick after Adam Nash had felled Dyke.
The game fizzled out after that Warren had a low shot saved in the last minute, but the increasingly worsening conditions and with the job well done, City earned a creditable three points.
Bemerton : Haviland, Renyard, Nash, Waite, Lucas (Newman 77), Boswell, Slade, Palmer, Findlay, Cole (Sanger 74), Chalk (Judd 77)
Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Davies, Warren, Dyke, McCormick (Thomson 77), Mancey (Kneller 73), Musselwhite (Lilley 90), L Green Unused subs Wakefield, Zawadski
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1 Winchester City 6
Arguably City’s best opening forty five minutes of the season, sweeping aside a Bemerton side that had recorded a 2-1 F A Vase away victory at Wellington only three days earlier. The home side had their problems before the start with former City goalkeeper Darren Crowfoot being withdrawn from the side owing to injury and replaced by Luke Haviland. City welcomed back Jamie Musselwhite from suspension but were without the injured Mat Jones.
It was the home side that had the opening two chances. David Hook saved a long-range shot from Ian Chalk, and then a header from Neil Cole went wide. It was though from City’s first attack on six minutes that City went in front. On an excellent playing surface, Shaun Dyke fed the ball into Ian Mancey, the striker’s fine run and cross into the six yard area saw Tommy McCormick arriving home to thunder the ball into the net from close range.
From then on City played some excellent football and kept the home side penned back. The second goal arrived after thirteen minutes. Mancey helped Liam Greens through ball on and Musselwhite celebrated his return with a low shot past Haviland. Four minutes later Mancey having an excellent game turned on the edge of the box under pressure from Bemertons former City defender Jamie Boswell but fired wide.
City’s third goal came on twenty minutes. Dykes through ball saw Haviland race from his area to clear but completely missed his kick and Musselwhite shot into the unguarded net for his eighteenth goal of the season.
On the half hour Bemerton almost scored a response, following some good work in the middle of the park, the ball arrived into the area where Cole shot just off target. Two minutes later and City added their fourth. A cross into the area towards Musselwhite saw Paul Lucas only flick the ball beyond his own goalkeeper for City’s first own goal claim of the season.
As City threatened to run riot, Ian Buckman and Dyke combined for Buckman to have his shot saved by Haviland, quickly followed by another Musselwhite shot from the edge of the box also saved by the keeper.
Bemerton had two chances just before the interval, Paul Palmer got in behind the City defence but shot off target then a diving header from Cole saw another good top from Hook.
The second period was played in horrendous conditions, with a heavily increasing rainfall. Bemerton started the half brightly Nathan Renyard had a shot deflected away for a corner, but City gave a warning they were after further goals when five minutes into the half Mark Jones shot a free kick against the underside of the crossbar.
Mat Davies was giving a fine display on the back line and also Christer Warren in the middle of the park was having another excellent game for City. Fifty-eight minutes had been played though when Bemerton pulled a goal back. Renyards cross into the area saw Boswell leap to knock the ball down for Palmer to shot home.
City restored their four-goal advantage some seven minutes later. Warrens run into the area saw his shot blocked by the flailing arm of Jack Slade. The referee Mr A Davies had no alternative but to dismiss the offender Slade and Liam Green slotted home the penalty. Seventy-three minutes and Green repeated the act, same placed spot kick after Adam Nash had felled Dyke.
The game fizzled out after that Warren had a low shot saved in the last minute, but the increasingly worsening conditions and with the job well done, City earned a creditable three points.
Bemerton : Haviland, Renyard, Nash, Waite, Lucas (Newman 77), Boswell, Slade, Palmer, Findlay, Cole (Sanger 74), Chalk (Judd 77)
Winchester : Hook, Buckman, Bicknell, Mark Jones, Davies, Warren, Dyke, McCormick (Thomson 77), Mancey (Kneller 73), Musselwhite (Lilley 90), L Green Unused subs Wakefield, Zawadski
Document last updated: 08/06/2007
