Post by malcolm on Mar 12, 2023 18:06:41 GMT 1
The first ever league match between Winchester and Weston Super Mare saw league leaders Weston Super Mare consolidate their position at the top of the table with a 1-0 win and with second placed Truro losing they increased their lead at the top of the table. and they remained unbeaten away from home during the league campaign, with only two league defeats all season.
Winchester move down to 17th as a result of the defeat, and with both Hendon and Harrow Borough drawing four points ahead of the North London pair having played one game more. However the bottom three clubs in the table have all played one game than Winchester are respectively six, seven and eight points behind Winchester having all played one game more.
Weston Super Mare who are managed by Scott Bartlett, a former playing colleague of Winchester manager Craig Davis at Salisbury remain unbeaten in the league as they continue their charge for a return to the National League South which they left after 15 years of membership in 2019 and in their only full season since relegation they finished in a playoff position.
Winchester made three changes to the starting line-up from the previous Saturday with Charlie Philpott replacing Jordi Valeri in goal and Robert Jamison and Luke King coming in for Ollie Griggs and Jack Torniainen with the last two named dropping to the bench. Positional switches were also made to accompany these changes,
Although the visitors had two off target efforts, one of them from Reuben Reid and Jay Murray and Jordan Bastin were looking threatening on the right flank there was not much action in the early stages with Winchester generally looking solid as a unit and playing with determination.
Charlie Philpott had to make two low saves from Bastin and a further save from a Dayle Grubb free kick. However at the other end Warren Bentley came so close to getting a decisive touch to a long throw from Pip Nolan, and Mlambo also came close to scoring on another occasion. However 10 minutes before half time long serving Weston captain Dayle Grubb who some local football followers will remember for the brief spell he had on loan to Eastleigh in the 2019.20 season while on loan from Forest Green, scored with a low shot. Grubb has over 100 goals to his name in Weston colours plus 8 in the football league for Forest Green.
Shortly after the goal Simba Mlambo forced a good save from Luke Purnell in the Weston goal, but Winchester trailed 1-0 at the break.
In their efforts to get back in the game against a team who had only 21 goals in their league campaign, a record that prior to this fixture was 10 fewer than any other club in the division Winchester bought on I K Hill and Ollie Griggs for Max Smith and Mark Jamison at the interval and made changes to their formation for the start of the game's second period.
Winchester continued to battle hard and keep the visitors on their toes, but 10 minutes into the second half it was a Weston half time substitute Elis Watts who nearly made a quick impact hitting the outside of the post with a corner and from the rebound forcing a save from Philpott. Winchester though at the other end came close to scoring when Mlambo was only a fraction away from getting a decisive touch to a Warren Bentley cross. At the other end Charlie Philpott had to make further saves from Grubb, Marlon Jackson and Watts.
In added on time with Dan Jones now on the pitch in place of Jamie Barron another long throw from Pip Nolan sees a Simba Mlambo narrowly off target and right at the death Charlie Philpott went up for a corner kick, but there was no further scoring, with Weston keeping a third successive clean sheet in an away fixture. Winchester must now turn their attention to Saturday's trip to Chesham.
Winchester move down to 17th as a result of the defeat, and with both Hendon and Harrow Borough drawing four points ahead of the North London pair having played one game more. However the bottom three clubs in the table have all played one game than Winchester are respectively six, seven and eight points behind Winchester having all played one game more.
Weston Super Mare who are managed by Scott Bartlett, a former playing colleague of Winchester manager Craig Davis at Salisbury remain unbeaten in the league as they continue their charge for a return to the National League South which they left after 15 years of membership in 2019 and in their only full season since relegation they finished in a playoff position.
Winchester made three changes to the starting line-up from the previous Saturday with Charlie Philpott replacing Jordi Valeri in goal and Robert Jamison and Luke King coming in for Ollie Griggs and Jack Torniainen with the last two named dropping to the bench. Positional switches were also made to accompany these changes,
Although the visitors had two off target efforts, one of them from Reuben Reid and Jay Murray and Jordan Bastin were looking threatening on the right flank there was not much action in the early stages with Winchester generally looking solid as a unit and playing with determination.
Charlie Philpott had to make two low saves from Bastin and a further save from a Dayle Grubb free kick. However at the other end Warren Bentley came so close to getting a decisive touch to a long throw from Pip Nolan, and Mlambo also came close to scoring on another occasion. However 10 minutes before half time long serving Weston captain Dayle Grubb who some local football followers will remember for the brief spell he had on loan to Eastleigh in the 2019.20 season while on loan from Forest Green, scored with a low shot. Grubb has over 100 goals to his name in Weston colours plus 8 in the football league for Forest Green.
Shortly after the goal Simba Mlambo forced a good save from Luke Purnell in the Weston goal, but Winchester trailed 1-0 at the break.
In their efforts to get back in the game against a team who had only 21 goals in their league campaign, a record that prior to this fixture was 10 fewer than any other club in the division Winchester bought on I K Hill and Ollie Griggs for Max Smith and Mark Jamison at the interval and made changes to their formation for the start of the game's second period.
Winchester continued to battle hard and keep the visitors on their toes, but 10 minutes into the second half it was a Weston half time substitute Elis Watts who nearly made a quick impact hitting the outside of the post with a corner and from the rebound forcing a save from Philpott. Winchester though at the other end came close to scoring when Mlambo was only a fraction away from getting a decisive touch to a Warren Bentley cross. At the other end Charlie Philpott had to make further saves from Grubb, Marlon Jackson and Watts.
In added on time with Dan Jones now on the pitch in place of Jamie Barron another long throw from Pip Nolan sees a Simba Mlambo narrowly off target and right at the death Charlie Philpott went up for a corner kick, but there was no further scoring, with Weston keeping a third successive clean sheet in an away fixture. Winchester must now turn their attention to Saturday's trip to Chesham.
