British Gas Business Southern League South and West Division

Winchester City 3 Lymington and New Milton 0

CITY COMPLETE LEAGUE DOUBLE OVER HAMPSHIRE RIVALS

Fielding three new signings, Ian Oliver (Eastleigh), Phil Cousins (QPR/Eastleigh) and Josh Thomas (Bashley), Winchester City looked a more settled side than of late, especially in defence where Oliver and Sean Thurgood had outstanding games against Lymington and New Milton at home on Saturday.

It was City who showed first when Jamie Musselwhite picked up a poor clearance from the Lymington box and crossed but just too wide for Mark Gamble to capitalise. The next attack was similar with Thomas stealing in for a free header which again was too wide for Lloyd Webber, on this occasion, to connect.

As City continued to press Musselwhite laid on a chance for Gamble who put his shot just over the bar but the vital break came in the 26th minute. Some good work by Gamble saw him pinpoint a cross to Chris Flood who hit the ball on the volley and had the satisfaction of seeing it rocket into the next past the flaying dive of Lymington keeper, Mark Watson.

As the half ended City could have gone two up when Gamble put in a good shot but this was well saved.

Gamble was soon in action at the start of the second half, heading straight at the keeper and then putting another header wide as Musselwhite laid on the two chances winning all the headers in the box. Musselwhite himself came close to scoring when he headed over from close range.

Gradually Lymington came back into the game and for a period City had to soak up some pressure. Webber, Thurgood, Oliver and Cousins, however, proved a rock-steady defence with Tom Vavrecka and Danny Wakefield running things in midfield, City were never really in trouble although keeper David Hook was called upon to pull off a couple of good saves.

Manager Steve Moss, gave youngster Flood a rest in the 73rd minute bringing on another of City?s young players, James Davis, to replace him.

City received the reward they deserved in the 77th minute when Thomas bravely dived into a melee of players in the box to head home from a free kick. Five minutes from time Cousins scored the best goal of the match to sew up the points. The ball was partly cleared by the Lymington defence straight to him and with the keeper well off his line, Cousins accurately lobbed from well outside the penalty area into the empty net.

Just on the final whistle Gamble was given the best chance of the match when he found himself clear with only the keeper to beat but he tried too hard to make sure and put his shot inches wide of the post.

This win put City up a place in the league table and this Saturday travel to Beconsfield SYCOB in what will be ?six-pointer? relegation battle where
a win could secure City?s future. It was pleasing to see long-term injured players Mark Jones and Pete Smith running laps of the pitch before the game and with Neil Champion, Melvin Rogers and Franny Dolan, Ryan Woodford and also coming back to fitness, the City squad now has more depth to cope with the higher standards of the Southern League.

City: David Hook, Chris Flood, Sean Thurgood, Josh Thomas, Ian Oliver, Lloyd Webber, Tom Vavrecka, Dan Wakefield, Phil Cousins, Jamie Musselwhite, Mark Gamble, Substitutes: Stewart Lang, James Davis ( 73rd), Ross Diaper, Mark Zawadski.