Post by malcolm on Apr 11, 2023 19:53:17 GMT 1
Winchester City ensured they would remain a Southern League Premier Division club next season with three games to spare as they won 2-1 at Salisbury and their achievement was celebrated by the players afterwards and congratulations were received not just from people associated with Winchester City, but from many people involved with other clubs as well,
For the second time over the Easter weekend Winchester avenged an earlier in the season and they have now obtained 20 points from their last 12 games having immediately prior that not won for 11 league games. The Easer weekend saw it announced that Ollie Balmer's excellently struck free kick against eaconsfield was chosen as Southern League goal of the month for March.
Salisbury are just below mid-table, but went into this match on the back of an excellent 4-1 win at Hendon. Earlier in the season they replaced Steve Claridge as manager with former Eastleigh midfielder Brian Dutton.
Winchester made three changes to the starting line-up from Saturday with Archie Willcox, I K Hill and Ollie Griggs who came on as substitutes in that game coming in for Pip Nolan, Jack Torniainen and Simba Mlambo who were the three players they replaced. Torniainen was on the bench which Oli Bailey, Josh Bertie and Dan Jones returned to.
In the early stages I K Hill and Devon Arnold had efforts for their respective teams that were not too far off target, while an excellent tackle by Mark Jamison denied Dan Fitchett.
Winchester however took in the lead in the 6th minute when hesitancy in the home defence let in Warren Bentley and he made no mistake. Four minutes later though it was the turn of the Winchester defence to show hesitancy and Devon Arnold took full advantage to score equalizer.
In the 20th minute Winchester came so close to regaining the lead when after Mark Jamison headed across the goal, resulting in Jamie Barron having an effort that hit the woodwork and Warren Bentley's follow up shot was cleared off the line by Josh Sommerton and the follow up by Ollie Balmer was c;eared. Before half time Brandon Goodship came close for the home team and Ollie Balmer had a half chance for Winchester, but it remained all square ast the interval.
In the second half Winchester introduce all three substitutes with Oli Bailey replacing Ollie Griggs, Henry Brooks coming on for I K Hill and Dan Jones replacing Jamie Barron and it was Jones who played an important part in Winchester's late winner with his shot from just outside the area being deflected in by Warren Bentley who thus claimed his second goalscoring brace over the Easter weekend and this one had an added significance as like manager Craig Davis he was a former Salisbury player.
Prior to the all important goal the second half Winchester forced Salisbury goalkeeper Mark Smith to make a good save early in the second half and the home goalkeeper also had to save from Bentley later in the half. For Salisbury in the second half Calvin Brooks, Fitchett, Aaron McCreadie, Arnold and Goodship all had shots on goal, but they did not trouble Charlie Philpott in the Winchester goal.
It was Winchester's first league win at Salisbury's ground since the club reformed in 2015.
For the second time over the Easter weekend Winchester avenged an earlier in the season and they have now obtained 20 points from their last 12 games having immediately prior that not won for 11 league games. The Easer weekend saw it announced that Ollie Balmer's excellently struck free kick against eaconsfield was chosen as Southern League goal of the month for March.
Salisbury are just below mid-table, but went into this match on the back of an excellent 4-1 win at Hendon. Earlier in the season they replaced Steve Claridge as manager with former Eastleigh midfielder Brian Dutton.
Winchester made three changes to the starting line-up from Saturday with Archie Willcox, I K Hill and Ollie Griggs who came on as substitutes in that game coming in for Pip Nolan, Jack Torniainen and Simba Mlambo who were the three players they replaced. Torniainen was on the bench which Oli Bailey, Josh Bertie and Dan Jones returned to.
In the early stages I K Hill and Devon Arnold had efforts for their respective teams that were not too far off target, while an excellent tackle by Mark Jamison denied Dan Fitchett.
Winchester however took in the lead in the 6th minute when hesitancy in the home defence let in Warren Bentley and he made no mistake. Four minutes later though it was the turn of the Winchester defence to show hesitancy and Devon Arnold took full advantage to score equalizer.
In the 20th minute Winchester came so close to regaining the lead when after Mark Jamison headed across the goal, resulting in Jamie Barron having an effort that hit the woodwork and Warren Bentley's follow up shot was cleared off the line by Josh Sommerton and the follow up by Ollie Balmer was c;eared. Before half time Brandon Goodship came close for the home team and Ollie Balmer had a half chance for Winchester, but it remained all square ast the interval.
In the second half Winchester introduce all three substitutes with Oli Bailey replacing Ollie Griggs, Henry Brooks coming on for I K Hill and Dan Jones replacing Jamie Barron and it was Jones who played an important part in Winchester's late winner with his shot from just outside the area being deflected in by Warren Bentley who thus claimed his second goalscoring brace over the Easter weekend and this one had an added significance as like manager Craig Davis he was a former Salisbury player.
Prior to the all important goal the second half Winchester forced Salisbury goalkeeper Mark Smith to make a good save early in the second half and the home goalkeeper also had to save from Bentley later in the half. For Salisbury in the second half Calvin Brooks, Fitchett, Aaron McCreadie, Arnold and Goodship all had shots on goal, but they did not trouble Charlie Philpott in the Winchester goal.
It was Winchester's first league win at Salisbury's ground since the club reformed in 2015.
