City came up against a side two divisions above them in the National League System at the Camrose Ground on Tuesday night in the Hampshire Senior Cup and the home side’s superior strength, fitness and technique paid dividends in the second half after an even first.

It was City who looked to have broken the deadlock after a quarter of an hour when unfortunately Dave Allen chose to pass rather than shoot and the chance was gone. The first corner of the game came in the 28th minute and it was Winchester who had the advantage with Allen shooting wide from the corner’s clearance which he collected on the edge of the box.

The Conference South side took the lead in the 42nd minute when a clearance was picked up on the flank crossed and an unmarked Ben Wells beat Clint Davies with a powerful shot. City were under pressure from the start of the second period and Scott Gilham made a timely clearance as Basingstoke pressed forward.

Although City were playing some good passing football, they had no-one to hold the ball in the vital last third of the pitch and again and again gave Basingstoke time to clear or get the cover on. On the hour Mark Lilley replaced Brett Williams but within three minutes the home side went two up when Scot Fitzgerald rounded Davies to net from close range. They were handed a third goal in the 68th minute, Fitzgerald capiltalised when the ball spun out of Davies’ hands.

Manager Andy Leader made a last throw of the dice in the 72nd minute bringing off Adam George and Dave Allen who are both suspended for Saturday’s match at Slough and brought on youngsters Liam Gilbert and James Wilkinson, who eventually ended up in the medical room suffering from a tightening of the chest and breathing difficulties. 

James Taylor scored Basingstoke’s fourth goal in the 78th minute when a cross was not cleared and Dave Tarpey netted the fifth two minutes later. The only bright spot of the evening was that City’s Chairman, Derek Caws won the ‘golden goal’ ticket prize. 

City: Clint Davies, James Wilson, Adam Lang, Adam George, Melvin Rogers, Scott Gilham, Luke Hornsley, Dave Allen, Brett Williams, Terry Cox, Substitutes Jimmy Ball, Liam Gilbert (72nd), James Wilkinson (72nd), Mark Lilley (60th).