F.A. Trophy

Northwood 0 Winchester City 0

HOOK THE HERO

The odds seemed stacked against Winchester City for their trip to Premier League Northwood on Saturday in the 2nd Qualifying round of the F.A. Trophy. key players were out injured having picked up knocks at Lymington on Tuesday night and several others carried injuries into this game that they also acquired against the Linnets.

Manager Steve Moss gave a debut to new signing Clint Thurgood from Walton and Hersham and it took the team some time to settle to its new formation..

Northwood attacked into the strong sun from the start and Danny Wakefield hooked the ball away from the foot of the post from a shot by David Warner almost from the kick off.

Melvin Rogers and Mark Jones in particular had a lot of work to do but it was City keeper Dave Hook who pulled off a string of saves that kept City
in the game and earned him the man of the match accolade.

City?s first shot came from James Davis from a header by Neil Champion but Northwood continued to press and Rogers headed out from under his own crossbar for a corner.

Gradually City got back into the game and Mark Gamble worked hard at the front but the attack often lacked support. Ian Mancey had the chance to give City the lead when a step-over by Thurgood allowed him to get in a shot which the Northwood keeper, Liam Watson, did well to push over the bar. Jones forced the keeper into another good save with an accurate diving header from the resultant corner.

Just as the half ended good work by Lloyd Webber resulted in him shooting just wide.

The second half followed the pattern of the first with Northwood having all the play and City defending well. Stuart Lang came on at half time to replace Rogers who failed to take the field after receiving an injury in the first half.

Hook made an early save and then got his body in the way of a point-blank shot from Lee Holland as Northwood pressed and then in an incredible five-shot barrage Hook parried and punched and somehow kept the ball out.

Tom Vavrecka replaced replaced Pete Smith, who was not playing at his best due to carrying an injury, in the 52nd minute and he and Champion put together some fine moves with Davis and Jones providing support on the overlap.

The last quarter of the game belonged to City although they could not relax at the back and Northwood were always dangerous on the break and with the long ball.

Some strong running an an accurate cross from the bye line by Webber set up a peach of a chance for Mancey at the far post and when he only had to side foot home got the ball caught under his sole and put it wide. A cross from Champion found Gamble and his header was well placed but the keeper held the ball. In the 85th minute Chris Flood replaced Gamble in an effort to force the winner but Northwood defended in depth.

It was City, however, who could have snatched the result with the last kick of the game. Webber worked his way into the penalty box and lashed a viscous shot which the keeper brilliantly pushed away for a corner. The final whistle went before the corner could be taken.

It was a credit to the efficiency of the Northwood Secretary Alan Evans that the result of the match appeared on the BBC television results board as the specators filed back into the clubhouse after the final whistle.

The replay takes place at the Denplan Stadium, Winchester on Tuesday evening, kick off 7.45p.m.
City: David Hook, Danny Wakefield, Peter Smith, Mark Jones, Sean Thurgood, Melvin Rogers, Lloyd Webber, Neil Champion, Ian Mancey, Mark Gamble, James Davis, Substitutes: Chris Flood (85th), Tom Vevrecka (52nd) Stuart Lang (46th), Mark Zawadski.