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Winchester City 3 Taunton Town 0
WINCHESTER CITY 3 TAUNTON TOWN 0

Attendance 119:
 
Winchester City progressed to the First Qualifying Round of The FA Trophy, sponsored by Carlsberg, with a convincing win at home to Taunton Town. With the two teams occupying the bottom two slots in the league, both entered the match with high hopes of taking the honours, and the important prize money on offer.
 
City continued with Foster partnering Williams up front, with James Roden playing his last match before his forthcoming suspension.
 
It was the Somerset side who were the first to threaten when Alex Pounde crossed from the right and Rob Sage hit a first time effort that whizzed past the post. City’s first good chance came on 12 minutes, Adam Kelly’s left wing cross was headed back across goal by Kyle Joryeff but Carl Foster mis-kicked when only 6 yards from goal. Within 30 seconds City had the ball in the net, again it was Joryeff who put Foster in, but he was adjudged to be offside.
 
In what was becoming an end to end game, Taunton came close to breaking the deadlock when skipper Jamie Price rose highest from a corner only to see Kelly clear the ball off the line. Midway through the first half, Williams won the ball from Price and came inside but his shot was straight at Simon Cooper in the visitors’ goal.
 
City won a free kick in a dangerous position after 35 minutes, and worked a training ground routine that almost saw them go in front. Sam Lockyer played the ball down the side of the wall and Kelly’s cross flashed across the face of the goal with no-one able to get the final touch. A minute later and Matt Bowler rose unchallenged in the box, but his header was well wide.
 
Again, the play switched to the other end and Kelly produced a superb last ditch tackle as John Harris broke free in the penalty area. James Roden’s 20 yard shot was then saved at full stretch by Cooper before the ever dangerous Pounde ran some 50 yards unchallenged before cutting inside and unleashing a shot again just wide.
 
The second half started at a much slower pace, with the only opportunity in the first quarter of an hour falling to Williams, after Foster had showed good control.
 
The game sprung to life just after the hour. Pounde was continuing to worry the home defence and again flashed a shot just wide, before City finally took the lead. Kelly’s free kick from 30 yards out was met by Steve Llewellyn, creating a scramble in the penalty box. The ball was never cleared and eventually fell to Roden whose effort from 10 yards was deflected into his own goal by Scott Thomas.
 
Seven minutes later, Williams played a great ball to put Joryeff through on goal. Joryeff’s goal bound shot was saved by Cooper, but he was well outside his penalty area and was inevitably sent off. Taunton’s manager, Ian Jones, took over in goal and almost gave City a second straight away.  Lockyer’s free kick, was spilled by Jones to Joryeff who put his shot from five yards well over the bar. Shortly after Jono Richardson came on for his debut, replacing Carl Foster who had worked tirelessly all afternoon.
 
A second goal was not going to be long in the coming, and Brett Williams supplied it 4 minutes later, with a 20 yarder into the bottom left corner of the goal. 
 
With the game won Andy Leader sprung the changes, with the excellent Joryeff and Williams being replaced by Eyles and Riddell.   City were now in total control and creating chances at will. Riddell created opportunities for both Roden and Kelly, the latter’s effort clearing the bar, before two subs combined for the final goal. James Eyles picked up the ball midway inside his opponents half and played a superb 35 yard cross field ball, which was controlled by Richardson’s chest and volleyed home in emphatic style.
City have another home fixture, against Windsor & Eton in the next round, on 18th October.
Document last updated: 05/10/2008