Winchester City’s barren run continued at Abington United on Saturday in yet another game when they matched their opponents in all aspects except finishing. It was the goalscoring problem that Andy Leader took a big step to solving during the week by signing Stuart Hussey from Gosport and pairing him with City’s other new signing Natham Lynch.

Both strikers played well during the game but as neither had played together before and as both lacked match fitness the pairing did not bring a goal but their play bodes well for the future. The home side started the strongest and in the first minute Clint Davies tipped over a free kick from Ryan Curtin. In City’s first attack Hussey chested down the ball and shot on the turn but just wide.

Abingdon took the lead in the 9th minute when Ryan Brooked was allowed to waltz into the penalty box and score from close range. It looked as if City were back in the game when in the 27th minute Dave Allen pounced on a weak punch by the Abingdon keeper but the ball was cleared off the line with the keeper beaten.

City suffered the misfortune to lose Sam Lockyer through injury in the 35th minute with Matt Czastka substituting and a few minutes later it looked as if Matt Bowler had conceded a penalty but luckily the referee booked him for a previous foul outside of the box. City had more of the play in the second half and Allen went close with a header from a free kick and Lynch laid off the ball well but Hussey’s shot lacked power.

At the other end Davies pulled off a good save with his feet. Brett Williams replaced Lynch in the 63rd minute and was himself replaced two minutes later when he was injured in a tackle. Luke Hornsley. took his place. Disaster then struck when Curtin scored his second goal for Abington, curling a free kick into the bottom corner and in the 68th minute Bowler was sent off for a second yellow card.

Despite being a man down it was City who looked the more likely to score, Czastka put a header close from a cross by Hornsley and then put shot just over the bar after a good run into the box. Manager Andy Leader lifted the gloom just before time with his Christmas comedy act. Collecting the ball he vaulted over the barrier and placed it by the corner flag and thenadvanced onto the pitch asking for the corner to be played to him. Luckily the referee saw the humour of the situation and just gave him a ticking off!

City: Clint Davies, James Wilson, Adam Lang, Adam George, Matt Bowler, Scott Gilham, James O’Keeffe, Dave Allen, Nathan Lynch, Stuart Hussey, Sam Lockyer, Substitutes: Jimmy Ball, Matt Czastka (35th), Luke Hornsley (65th), Brett Williams (63rd), Terry Cox.

City are at home to Bracknell F.C. on Saturday, kick off 3.00p.m.