AFC HAYES 5 WINCHESTER CITY 1
CITY REMAIN ROCK BOTTOM
Winchester City remain firmly rooted at the bottom of the table after a totally inept second half at Farm Park last night. Missing four kingpins of the team, Dave Allen, Matt Bowler and Adam George all out injured and James Roden (suspended), their influence and experience were sorely missed. It was City who were the first to show, however, after some early Hayes pressure when a good move set up Brett Willliams but he shot wide and then Adam Kelly put in a long-range shot which too went wide.
The home side came back and a shot whistled over the City bar and then Clint Davies palmed over another.
Williams looked lively upfront and Michael Spinney created another chance for him but the Hayes’ keeper managed to scramble his shot for a corner.
Working his way forward James Eyles crossed from wide on the flank but unfortunately there were no City players in the box to take advantage.
Hayes took the lead in the 42nd minute when City were caught wide open by a long crossfield ball and Davies could do little to stop a powerful close-range shot across his diving body.
City got back into the game deep into injury time when Kyle Joryeff received the ball from Williams, worked his way into the box only to be felled. The referee had no option but to award the penalty and skipper Steve Llewellyn calmly put the spot kick away.
The second half was a completely different affair, City never got their game together, passes went astray, marking was poor and positional play almost non-existant. The usually reliable James Wilson and Sam Lockyer were unable to cope with the speedy Hayes wingers and chances were created from the flanks.
The writing was on the wall early in the half with two let-offs. A cross from a free kick was lifted over the City bar with only Davies to beat and then City were caught appealing for an offside which was not given, leaving the Hayes player with an open goal which luckily he missed.
Hayes, however, went two-up in the 56th minute when City failed to clear a series of three balls lobbed into the box.
Manager Andy Leader made a change in the 63rd minute with James O’Keeffe coming on for Andy Borthwick who had an uncharacteristic ineffective game and then brought off Williams for Richard Gregory in the 68th minute and the two subs did inject some pace and aggression to the attack but to no avail. O’Keeffe came close with a shot that the keeper pushed round for a corner.
Kelly won the ball in midfield and created space for Eyles to get in a shot but this was wide of the post as City tried the fightback but then in an incredible four minute spell they conceded three more goals. A cross to the far post was shot home in the 78th minute and a similar move in the 80th saw goal number four. The fifth came in the 82nd when Davies was beaten at the near post.
With five minutes to go Ben Morgan replaced Joryeff and was involved in the best move of the game which resulted in Jono Richardson netting from close range only to have the goal ruled out for offside.
This Saturday City return to cup action when they face Windsor and Eton in the F.A. Trophy at home, kick off 3.00 p.m.
CITY: Clint Davies, James Wilson, Sam Lockyer, Andy Borthwick (James O'Keefe 63), James Eyles, Steve Llewellyn, Jono Richardson, Adam Kelly, Brett Williams (Richard Gregory 68), Mike Spinney, Kyle Joryeff (Ben Morgan 85). Unused Subs: Andy Smallpiece, Carl Foster
