Match 1:- City Vs Andover New Street
City 0 - 4 New Street
Winchester City had a tough start to their season, starting with a game against title contenders Andover New Street. After narrowly missing out on promotion last year, New Street were determined to make amends this time around and were quickly into a 2 goal lead with two break away goals catching the defence cold.
City more than matched their opponants for the majority of the game without really creating any clear cut chances themselves but restricting New Street to long range efforts which were easily dealt with by Cath Struckman in goal. Two late goals gave New Street a scoreline that flattered them but City should look to push on from this performance against one of the best teams in Hampshire.
Team:- C. Struckman; S. Vokes, S. Hagger, C. Ashman, L. MAclaughlin (A. Cooper, 55); S. Gilbert, M. O'Flynn, E. Bradshaw, A. Cantelo (I. Forty, 35); N. Eke, B. Cleary
Match 2:- City Vs Christchurch
City 2 - 2 Christchurch
(Gilbert, Cleary)
A much improved performance by City gave them their first point of the season but, in a game completly dominated by them from the first whistle, City left dissapointed with losing two. Using a slightly different formation to usual, City started the game strongly with Izzy Forty pressurising the defence in the 1st minute resulting in a last ditch tackle by the keeper preventing a certain goal. Sara Gilbert was presented with the next chance when good interplay by Forty and Emily Bradshaw down the left produced the perfect ball to lone striker Bex Cleary in the box. With both central defenders gravitating towards the ball, Cleary passed across the box to Gilbert on the right who shot narrowly wide of the upright.
Gilbert was to make amends for this miss with City's first goal of the season after a strong run and shot by Forty was only parried to Cleary who volleyed towards goal with Gilbert applying the final touch.
On another day when the bounce of the ball and referee decisions would fall slightly kinder for City. Chances were being created down both wings and the midfield were providing excellent support but rebounds and crosses were falling just out of reach for the final touch to be applied. Christchurch made City pay when, after missing a penalty, the striker confidently finished after a one-on-one with goalkeeper Hayley Litchfield.
After the break, it did not take long for City to regain the lead after a perfect through ball from Martina O'Flynn allowed Cleary the relativly simple task of prodding the ball home under the onrushing keeper. However, Christchurch again equalised with their only shot of the 2nd half. A slightly dubious freekick was given outside the area and the resulting kick went straight through the defence and arrived at an unsighted Litchfield too quickly for her to respond. Again, City had the lions share of possession and created many oppurtunities that on another day would of gone in but a combination of fine Christchurch defending and good fortune meant that the spoils were shared. However, after this performance, City should feel confident about the season ahead.
Team:- H. Litchfield; S. Vokes (A. Cooper, 55), S. Hagger, C. Ashman, L. Maclaughlin; S. Gilbert, A. Cantelo, M. O'Flynn, E. Bradshaw, I. Forty (N. Eke, 55); B. Cleary
Match 3:- Moneyfields - City
Moneyfields 2 -3 City
Cleary, Bradshaw, Eke
City gained their first three points of the season against newly promoted Moneyfields but went about it the hard way. Despite camping out in the Moneyfield half for the opening quater of the game, City fell behind to a quick counterattack up the right with Moneyfields scoring with their only shot of the first half. City refused to panic and settled down into their own game, passing the ball confidently around the Moneyfield defence and when Emily Bradshaw found Bex Cleary unmarked in the box the scores were levelled. Bradshaw got her reward for her assist before half time when she turned ina pinpoint Izzy Forty corner.
The game was the same after the break with City doing all the attacking and Moneyfields scoring first to again equalise the scores with their only shot of the half. In truth, by this time City should have been well out of sight with Forty, Cleary and the hard working midfield all failing to capatilise on good goal scoring oppurtunities. However, another pinpoint corner from Forty allowed Nasa Eke to head powerfully into the net for the winner ten minutes before the end. With the reserve team also picking up their first win of the season over Southampton, this proved to be a good day for City.
Team:- H. Litchfield; S. Vokes (A. Cooper, 45), S. Hagger, C. Ashman, L. MacLaughlan; S. Gilbert, M. O'Flynn, A. Cantelo, E. Bradshaw, I. Forty; B. Cleary
Match 4:- City Vs Eastleigh
City 2 - 2 Eastleigh
Forty, Cleary
City's recent unbeaten run was extended again this week against Eastleigh, a team who last season were one of the contenders for promotion. City started poorly and gave away territorial possession but did just enough not to concede. The greater number of first half chances were created by City with Izzy Forty continuing to look dangerous and Nasa Eke somehow managing to miss from one yard out after good work down the left by Bex Cleary. Forty was also unable to get enough purchase on the ball when the keeper miscued a clearence and Eke had a header bundled off the line. However, it was Eastleigh who took the lead with a goal on the breakaway when the Eastleigh striker powered past Hayley Litchfield, who had her best performance of the season in goal, despite the best efforts of covering fullback Sam Vokes.
City showed their spirit after the break and continued to push Eastleigh futher and further back. Forty equalised midway through the first half after a great threw ball from Emily Bradshaw allowed her to arrow a shot across the desperatly diving keeper. And it was not long until City took the lead when returning captain Cath Struckman's long ball allowed Bex Cleary to cut across her marker and lob the keeper. Eastleigh were getting increasingly desperate and started arguing amongst themselves and the referee but, as happened in last season's game, they did manage to equalise five minutes before full time with a powerful header from a corner. City still had time to create chances to win the game but could just not convert them and will again feel a bit disapointed to go away with only a point but a performance to be proud of.
Team:- H. Litchfield; S. Vokes (l. Maclaughlan, 45, S. Hagger, 55), C. Ashman, C. Struckman, A. Cooper; N. Eke, M. O'Flynn, A. Cantelo, E. Bradshaw, I. Forty; B. Cleary
Match 5:- New Forset Vs City
New Forest 3- 1 City
Forty
Team:- H. Litchfield; S. Vokes, C. Ashman, C. Struckman, L. MAcLaughlan; N. Eke, A. Cooper (E. Bradshaw, 5), A. Cantelo, S. Hagger, I. Forty; B. Cleary (S. Gilbert, 55)
Match 6:- City Vs Salisbury
City 0 - 1 Salisbury
As has been the case for a long while now, City dominated this game against high flyers Salisbury but came away empty handed again. With a makeshift team due to injuries, City settled well, with the reliable back four protecting makeshift goalkeeper Bex Cleary in goal. Charlie Ashman's pace was vital to stop any onrushing Salisbury striker with Sorcha Hagger sweeping up anything that came through. Laura MacLaughlan and Sam Vokes were providing good attacking options on the wings as well as being solid in the tackle. With Nasa Eke working hard up front, it looked only a matter of time before City would take the lead but a lack of conviction when the time came for the final touch meant that the Salisbury keeper was never really worked.
The second half began with City absorbing Salisbury pressure and defending numerous corners until they were able to assert themselves on the game again. Laura Hoff, making her first team debut for the season, did not look out of place in midfield and played a couple of good attacking balls through the Salisbury defence which were just unable to be finished off. However, City were caught out when an unlucky deflection off a defender played a Slaisbury attacker onside and their shot beat the onrushing Cleary to find the far post. City continued to attack until the end and thought they had equalised in the final minute when Sara Gilbert had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside. With a cup game next week, City will hope that they will be able to get something from their improved performances this year.
Team:- B. Cleary; S. Vokes, C. Ashman, S. Hagger, L. MacLaughlan; S. Gilbert, E. Bradshaw, A. Cantelo, L. Hoff (C. Struckman, 70), I. Forty; N. Eke
Match 7:- QK Southampton Vs City
QK Southampton 1 - 5 City
Fortyx2, Cleary, Thornewill, og
With a depleted squad due to injury and illness, City set off to old rivals Red Star (now playing as QK Southampton) knowing they were in for a tough game. With only 10 fit players, City's task was a big one from the start but they started the brighter of the two teams and were soon on the attack. Nasa Eke was making her first appearence in goal and, apart from conceding one indirect freekick which she then saved, she was faultless throughout with brilliant handling skills and brave in coming out to oncoming strikers. With City continuing to rush QK play, the 10 players were seriously frustrating the full side and this resulted in numbers being evened up early on. A cynical 'tackle' on Izzy Forty was seen by the referee and he rightly sent off the offender with the resulting freekick going narrowly over by Leah Thornewill. City continued to press and went into the break two goals to the good. Martina O'Flynn's trickery was too much for the QK defence to cope with and she won two free kicks on the edge of the box. Forty then proved why QK had resorted to cynical methods to keep her out the game. The first was powered into the center of the goal, the sheer pace too much for the keeper to cope with. The second was too much for the defence to deal with and resulted in an own goal.
City knew this lead was not enough but with a strong defence, they held on till midway through the second half when a hopeful punt from the edge of the area looped over Eke. City responded instantly and Forty promptly restored the two goal cushion with a spectacular run and strike from outside the area. As QK got more and more desperate, their play bacame more and more disjointed as they lost their discipline and City capatilised with two late goals. An indirect freekick inside the area was dispatched at the second attempt by Bex Cleary and then Thornewill had the easy job of tapping into an empty net after a mistake by the keeper. This win was just what City's play deserved after a brilliant team performance and again proved how far City have come this season, keeping their heads and discipline in a difficult game.
Team:- N. Eke; S. Gilbert, C. Ashman, S. Hagger, A. Cantelo; E. Bradshaw, B. Cleary, M. O'Flynn, I. Forty; L. Thornewill