2 weeks Ago
City achieved only their fourth home league win of the season on Saturday and made it back to back league wins for the first time this season as they beat Chertsey Town 4-1. Having dropped into the bottom four as a result of Basingstoke's point in the home draw with AFC Totton Winchester moved out of the zone with this victory which relegated Frome Town meaning it was a battle for the the remaining relegation places with several teams not safe from the drop. Chertsey had in fact gone into this match having won their last three league games including the much fancied Gloucester City side.
They had suffered a poor series of results which put them in danger of relegation, but with players returning from injury they are still four points clear of the drop zone. This season they also reached the 4th round proper of the FA Cup beating two higher division teams on the way and the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup. The result enabled Winchester to take four points against the Surrey-based side and having failed to win the match between the club at Chertsey ensured there was to be no mistake this time around having taken a three goal lead again.
Winchester made one change to the starting line-up from the previous Saturday with Tommy Wright replacing Reggie Hodan who dropped to a bench that also included Malachi Dotse, Ollie Griggs, Mark Jamison and Josh McCormick with the last named returning to the squad following a four-match suspension. Winchester made a bright start and in the opening minute of the game Tommy Wright shot narrowly wide and they took the lead in the 7th minute when Callum Buckley set up Jamie Barron who scored with a low left foot into the bottom corner. However nine minutes later Chertsey drew level when following a corner leading scorer Jack Mazzone was on hand to score.
Although Simba Mlambo had an effort blocked Chertsey had if anything the better of the remainder of the first half with Luke Cairney in the Winchester goal making a good save to deny Oliver McCoy. The scores were level at the break, but Winchester made an even better to the second half with two goals in the first five minutes of the second period with both Tommy Wright and Simba Mlambo rounding Joshua Strizovic in the Chertsey goal with Mlambo doing so by initially lobbing him. It got even better for Winchester when 10 minutes into the second half Tommy Wright scored with another low shot after controlling the ball well.
Dan Bradshaw and Jamie Barron provided assists for two of the goals. Having surrendered a three goal advantage in the fixture at Chertsey Winchester are in no mood for this to happen again and although Luke Cairney makes a good save from Toby Little Winchester show determination in blocking Chertsey's attack. They came close to scoring again when Dan Bradshaw hit the post and Malachi Dotse who is one of five substitutes used by Winchester in the second half had an effort saved by Strizovic.
Dotse was in fact Winchester's third substitution of the afternoon replacing Simba Mlambo who had given a courageous performance despite not being 100% fit on the morning of the game, with the first coming midway through the half with Ollie Griggs and the returning Josh McCormick coming on for Jamie Barron and George Britton. Winchester later put on Reggie Hodan for Tommy Wright and Mark Jamison for Dan Bradshaw, but the most important thing was achieving the win which moved them two places up in the table. After the Bank Holiday fixture at AFC Totton Winchester complete their programme with a home fixture against Taunton Town on Saturday.
Congratulations to club president John Moody who has just celebrated his 80th birthday and to Callum Buckley who like Simba Mlambo played on Saturday despite concerns about his fitness..
