British Gas Business Southern League South and West Divsion

Brook House F.C. 6 Winchester City 2

CITY SUFFER SIX

Away to Brook House F.C. on Saturday, City fought back to a 2-3 situation within 20 minutes of the start of the second half and looked to have least
been capable of taking a point but three goals in an eight minute period doomed them to a second embarrassment in the last few weeks, conceding 13 goals in two games.

There were three main differences between the two teams, City tried to play football and as a consequence gave Brook House the time to marshal their defence while the home club played the ball more directly and put the City defence under constant pressure, secondly skipper Lloyd Webber was playing in defence through the necessity of player available and therefore his creative play in mid-field was sorely missed and lastly, City?s players made basic mistakes while their opponents seemed to have more of a will to win.

The defeat drops City one place down the league and back into the relegation fight but with half a season yet to play there is time to climb to safety.

Brook House made their intention clear from the kick off and City keeper David Hook was called into action early punching away a goal-bound shot and it only took them eight minutes to get on the scoresheet. Greg Homer netting from a corner whilst unmarked at the far post. Hook was soon called into action again saving well from a shot from the edge of the penalty area but he was left floundering when another smacked against the City post but luckily bounced clear.

Winchester?s first attack resulted from a cross by Danny Wakefield which Jamie Musselwhite dived to head just wide.

Brook House went two up in the 26th minute when a cross-field move resulted in Ryan Kirkland drifting wide of the City defence and scoring in acres of space at the near post. City suffered another blow a few minutes later when Francis Dolan hobbled off with an injury and Neil Champion, coming back from injury himself, substituted.

As the half ended City came more into the game, Sean Thurgood working hard managed several upfield runs and Danny Wakefield created two goal chances for Mark Gamble. He crossed for Gamble to shoot and then lofted the ball for him to head narrowly wide.

Manager Steve Moss gave youth its head at the start of the second half taking on Stewart Lang and Musselwhite and bringing on teenagers Chris Flood and Ross Diaper and with Champion and Thurgood working well the team began to give Brook House some problems.

Diaper created an opening for Ian Mancey and he got Winchester back into the game with a superb strike in the 50th minute but minutes later an Champion unfortunately conceded a penalty and Jamie Mitchell gave Hook no chance with the spot kick to restore Brook House?s two-goal lead.

Champion made amends in the 54th minute when he headed the ball to Mancey and he converted for his second goal. Good work by Flood and an accurate cross was not picked up by anyone in the Brook House penalty area and the chance for an equaliser was gone.

Three basic defensive errors then allowed Brook House to run up a score they did not deserve. Jay Periera capitalised on a missed clearance in the City penalty area and scored from close range (71st) and Chris Fermie received the ball on the right and ran into the penalty area unchallenged to score number five (74th). Hook came off his line to clear another defensive blunder but was beaten to the ball by Periera who lobbed him for goal number six.

Right at the death James Davis put in a penetrating run and forced the Brook House keeper into a good save.

City: David Hook, Francis Dolan, Stewart Lang, Danny Wakefield, Sean Thurgood, Mark Gamble, Lloyd Webber, Tom Vavrecka, Ian Mancey, Jamie Musselwhite, James Davis, Substitutes: Chris Flood (46th), Ross Diaper (46th), Neil Champion (26th), Mark Zawadski.