Post by malcolm on Mar 19, 2023 20:43:13 GMT 1
Winchester drew their 12th league match of the season and they have now drawn more games than any other team in their division. It was their 7th 1-1 draw of the season and in all 7 of these it has been the opposition who have scored the opposition who have scored the first goal in the game. Indeed in al 11 of Winchester's score draws this season Winchester have had to come from behind at some point in the encounter and the ability to come from behind to earn points is an indicator that there is a good team spirit in the Winchester camp.
Chesham are in fact the only team in the top five that Winchester have taken league points off this season and they now have done so twice. Chesham have now drawn 4 and lost 3 of their last 7 league games, but prior that they won three consecutive league games in a row ans are still in a strong position to achieve a playoff place and have still won more than half of their league games
Poole's victory in midweek ended any mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs, but that was never a practical possibility anyway. Winchester are now above Gosport who lost two matches in a week and of the other clubs below them wins for Hendon, a draw for Hartley Wintney. and losses for North Leigh, Yate and Harrow Borough mean that Winchester are five points ahead of fourth from bottom Harrow Borough who have a game in hand which they play against Harrow Borough on Tuesday and seven points ahead of third from bottom North Leigh who have played one game more.
Winchester welcomed back to the fold Ollie Balmer. Balmer had this season been playing for Dorchester and Bashley and like Ollie Griggs, Callum Chugg and Dan Walster was part of the promotion winning team of thew previous season and subsequently left ti play elsewhere, but has subsequently rejoined Winchester.
Winchester made one change to the starting line-up from the previous week with Ollie Griggs who came on as substitute last week replacing Archie Willcox who was on a substitutes bench that also included Balmer.
Chesham who have only lost two home league games all season started the match brightly with Charlie Philpott making good saves in the first quarter of an hour from Karl Oliyide, Ricardo German and Bradley Clayton. Although Jamie Barron and Robert Jamison forced saves from the home goalkeeper and Warren Bentley was denied by a tackle from Eoin Casey the first half very much belonged to Chesham and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 35th minute with they took the lead in the 35th minute when a corner from Frankie Sutherland was touched on by Eoin Casey for Ricardo German to score and the home team came close on other occasions, but Winchester did well to restrict the home team to just one goal.
However at the start of the second half Winchester bring on I K Hill and Ollie Balmer for Ollie Griggs and Luke King and they began the second half with renewed determination and five minutes into the second half Warren Bentley rounded Chesham goalkeeper Dante-Astor Baptiste. This gave Winchester a boost and they continued to play well in the second half and Dante-Astor had to make a good save from Jamie Barron. Winchester's cause was made easier by the fact that Frankie Sutherland received a second yellow card for a challenge off the ball.
Although Chesham remained dangerous as an attacking force Winchester were in the ascendancy now with I K Hill coming close to getting a decisive touch t a Simba Mlambo cross, Max Smith also coming close and in added on time Ollie Balmer broke clear and had a shot saved by the goalkeeper's legs. However there was no further scoring and the match finished 1-1.
Manager Craig Davis who recently completed six years as manager of Winchester was full of praise for his team's second half showing and also praised the supporters who gave the team backing throughout the game.
Winchester are at home to Beaconsfield on Saturday and are away to Plymouth Parkway on the following Tuesday.
Some of Winchester's under 10 and under 12 players were honorary guests of Eastleigh football club at their match with Altrincham on Saturday which they woin 3-2.
Chesham are in fact the only team in the top five that Winchester have taken league points off this season and they now have done so twice. Chesham have now drawn 4 and lost 3 of their last 7 league games, but prior that they won three consecutive league games in a row ans are still in a strong position to achieve a playoff place and have still won more than half of their league games
Poole's victory in midweek ended any mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs, but that was never a practical possibility anyway. Winchester are now above Gosport who lost two matches in a week and of the other clubs below them wins for Hendon, a draw for Hartley Wintney. and losses for North Leigh, Yate and Harrow Borough mean that Winchester are five points ahead of fourth from bottom Harrow Borough who have a game in hand which they play against Harrow Borough on Tuesday and seven points ahead of third from bottom North Leigh who have played one game more.
Winchester welcomed back to the fold Ollie Balmer. Balmer had this season been playing for Dorchester and Bashley and like Ollie Griggs, Callum Chugg and Dan Walster was part of the promotion winning team of thew previous season and subsequently left ti play elsewhere, but has subsequently rejoined Winchester.
Winchester made one change to the starting line-up from the previous week with Ollie Griggs who came on as substitute last week replacing Archie Willcox who was on a substitutes bench that also included Balmer.
Chesham who have only lost two home league games all season started the match brightly with Charlie Philpott making good saves in the first quarter of an hour from Karl Oliyide, Ricardo German and Bradley Clayton. Although Jamie Barron and Robert Jamison forced saves from the home goalkeeper and Warren Bentley was denied by a tackle from Eoin Casey the first half very much belonged to Chesham and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 35th minute with they took the lead in the 35th minute when a corner from Frankie Sutherland was touched on by Eoin Casey for Ricardo German to score and the home team came close on other occasions, but Winchester did well to restrict the home team to just one goal.
However at the start of the second half Winchester bring on I K Hill and Ollie Balmer for Ollie Griggs and Luke King and they began the second half with renewed determination and five minutes into the second half Warren Bentley rounded Chesham goalkeeper Dante-Astor Baptiste. This gave Winchester a boost and they continued to play well in the second half and Dante-Astor had to make a good save from Jamie Barron. Winchester's cause was made easier by the fact that Frankie Sutherland received a second yellow card for a challenge off the ball.
Although Chesham remained dangerous as an attacking force Winchester were in the ascendancy now with I K Hill coming close to getting a decisive touch t a Simba Mlambo cross, Max Smith also coming close and in added on time Ollie Balmer broke clear and had a shot saved by the goalkeeper's legs. However there was no further scoring and the match finished 1-1.
Manager Craig Davis who recently completed six years as manager of Winchester was full of praise for his team's second half showing and also praised the supporters who gave the team backing throughout the game.
Winchester are at home to Beaconsfield on Saturday and are away to Plymouth Parkway on the following Tuesday.
Some of Winchester's under 10 and under 12 players were honorary guests of Eastleigh football club at their match with Altrincham on Saturday which they woin 3-2.