Tuesday 4th October
Sydenhams Wessex League Cup
Downton 0 Winchester City 2
Not the most convincing City performance but enough to see them progress through from the First Round of the Russell Cotes Cup. The competition gave manager Steve Moss a chance to give the sides ‘fringe players’ a taste of some action, but in reality he wanted to rest more than those few, which he was allowed.
It looked as though it would be an easy night for City when in the fifth minute Shaun Dyke’s turn of speed took him beyond Downton skipper Ben Smith but referee Martin Bloor saw the shirt of Dyke being pulled back and a penalty was awarded. Dyke duly slotted home for the opening goal.
City were to be surprised though by a plucky Wessex League Division Two outfit. Christer Warren saw a header hit the bar on eleven minutes but City had a lucky escape when a free kick from Kevin Thick struck the post as Downton went in search of an equaliser.
At the start of the second period Downton had a number of chance to pull level. Andrew Waters missed a golden opportunity three minutes into the half when unmarked in front of goal he failed to connect with the ball. Two minutes later Ben Smith missed a header from a free kick in the six-yard box. The spell of pressure saw Dyke underhit a back pass to Mark Zawadski, the keeper missed his kick allowing Mike Glavin a run on goal but he shot wide of an open target.
City created a couple of openings, Mark Lilley broke free from the Downton defence before slipping the ball inside for Warren but Warren was also guilty of missing the ball allowing it to run for Dyke who shot wide. Lilley was unfortunate after sixty four minutes to see a volley just off target having to readjust himself for the shot after Warren had headed back Tommy McCormick’s cross.
Downton were on the ascendancy. Twenty minutes remained when another run from deep by Thick, saw him in the area and slip the ball past the advancing Zawadski but also past the post. Thick was the villain two minutes later his poor pass allowing Lilley a chance but he shot tamely at the home goalkeeper Glenn Craven. Downton were the next on the attack and Franny Dolan cleared a header from Glavin off the line.
City were soon to have their nerves settled. With seventy-five minutes played, Dolan picked the ball up just inside the Downton half and ran on sidestepping two defenders before placing a low shot through a crowd of players and nestling into the corner of the net.
Liam Green had a twenty-five yard shot saved by Craven then an excellent save by Zawadski from a Ben Smith header kept City’s two goal lead. Downton still created chances and in the dying minutes Luke Hatchman missed another opportunity in front of the City goal.
City now progress to entertain Blackfield & Langley in the Second Round on Tuesday 15th November.
Downton : Craven, Bartlett, Thick, Gulliver, B Smith, Gain, Alford (D Smith 76), Robertson, Waters (Western 83), Glavin (Daubney 76), Hatchman Unused subs Wilkinson, M Smith
Winchester : Zawadski, Austen, Lang, Mat Jones (T King 54), Dolan, Sumner, Dyke, Dean (L Green 61), Warren, Musselwhite (Lilley 45), McCormick Unused subs D King, Walker-Harris
Downton 0 Winchester City 2
Not the most convincing City performance but enough to see them progress through from the First Round of the Russell Cotes Cup. The competition gave manager Steve Moss a chance to give the sides ‘fringe players’ a taste of some action, but in reality he wanted to rest more than those few, which he was allowed.
It looked as though it would be an easy night for City when in the fifth minute Shaun Dyke’s turn of speed took him beyond Downton skipper Ben Smith but referee Martin Bloor saw the shirt of Dyke being pulled back and a penalty was awarded. Dyke duly slotted home for the opening goal.
City were to be surprised though by a plucky Wessex League Division Two outfit. Christer Warren saw a header hit the bar on eleven minutes but City had a lucky escape when a free kick from Kevin Thick struck the post as Downton went in search of an equaliser.
At the start of the second period Downton had a number of chance to pull level. Andrew Waters missed a golden opportunity three minutes into the half when unmarked in front of goal he failed to connect with the ball. Two minutes later Ben Smith missed a header from a free kick in the six-yard box. The spell of pressure saw Dyke underhit a back pass to Mark Zawadski, the keeper missed his kick allowing Mike Glavin a run on goal but he shot wide of an open target.
City created a couple of openings, Mark Lilley broke free from the Downton defence before slipping the ball inside for Warren but Warren was also guilty of missing the ball allowing it to run for Dyke who shot wide. Lilley was unfortunate after sixty four minutes to see a volley just off target having to readjust himself for the shot after Warren had headed back Tommy McCormick’s cross.
Downton were on the ascendancy. Twenty minutes remained when another run from deep by Thick, saw him in the area and slip the ball past the advancing Zawadski but also past the post. Thick was the villain two minutes later his poor pass allowing Lilley a chance but he shot tamely at the home goalkeeper Glenn Craven. Downton were the next on the attack and Franny Dolan cleared a header from Glavin off the line.
City were soon to have their nerves settled. With seventy-five minutes played, Dolan picked the ball up just inside the Downton half and ran on sidestepping two defenders before placing a low shot through a crowd of players and nestling into the corner of the net.
Liam Green had a twenty-five yard shot saved by Craven then an excellent save by Zawadski from a Ben Smith header kept City’s two goal lead. Downton still created chances and in the dying minutes Luke Hatchman missed another opportunity in front of the City goal.
City now progress to entertain Blackfield & Langley in the Second Round on Tuesday 15th November.
Downton : Craven, Bartlett, Thick, Gulliver, B Smith, Gain, Alford (D Smith 76), Robertson, Waters (Western 83), Glavin (Daubney 76), Hatchman Unused subs Wilkinson, M Smith
Winchester : Zawadski, Austen, Lang, Mat Jones (T King 54), Dolan, Sumner, Dyke, Dean (L Green 61), Warren, Musselwhite (Lilley 45), McCormick Unused subs D King, Walker-Harris
Document last updated: 08/06/2007
