SITE FEATURES
CLUB CALENDAR


Winchester City 1 Abingdon United 2
Saturday 18th August 2007, Andy Leader’s has rebuilt Winchester City squad and its got its Southern League campaign off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal inside the first two minutes. However, the brand new team matched their visitors for the rest of the game, although without really threatening the early lead.
 
With a number of key players injured or unavailable, Leader was given some selection headaches. Fifteen of the sixteen-man Winchester squad were making their competitive debuts for the club. The only player to play in City colours before was goalkeeper, Clint Davies, who played once on trial for the side last year.
 
Abingdon scored the early opener from a free kick on the right hand side, the long kick turned home by Billy Beechers. City responded quickly, when the young former-Eastleigh striker, Brett Williams, had a shot saved by the visiting keeper’s feet. Despite playing into the wind and rain, the home side had the better of the possession for the remainder of the first half, although chances were evenly split between the two sides. With 20 minutes gone, some good work by the City midfield gave Williams another chance to shoot, but the shot lacked power and the visiting keeper was able to gather. Moments later, the Abingdon left winger ran clear on the edge of the City area, putting a great ball across the home goal but with no-one able to provide the final touch.
 
After half an hour, an Adam Lang free kick evaded everyone in the visitors box, but again no-one was able to turn it in. Towards half time, Davies had to get down well in the home goal to turn the ball behind, and the sides went in at half time with the visitors comfortable enough with their 1-0 lead.
 
Leader brought on Ben Bosley, another young striker newly signed from Eastleigh, at half time in place of Larbi Mekchiche, who had been very quiet in the first half. The visitors extended their lead four minutes into the half, Ryan Curtin scoring direct from a corner which somehow evaded everyone in the box. From then on the game was a little disappointing, with the two sides cancelling each other out. Most of the goalmouth action was at the City end, the visitors’ best chance being a dipping 30 yard shot which skimmed just over the bar.
 
City’s superior fitness began to show in the final fifteen minutes, and their goal came from a penalty three minutes from time, Adam George capping a committed performance with a calmly taken spot kick after Williams was tripped in the box.
 
The club’s new training kit sponsor, Mark Russell of JCM Glass & Glazing, later presented the man of the match bubbly to skipper, Dave Allen.
 
City: Davies, Stone, Lang, Lewis, Lockyer, Llewellyn, Mekchiche (Bosley 45), Allen, Williams, George, Wright (Wells 70), Cox (Allen 82). Unused subs: Stopforth, Bayliss
Document last updated: 27/08/2008