Fawley (0 - 3) Win City
With suspensions and injuries piling up, City Manager Paul Masters had to make changes for a tricky away fixture against Fawley on Saturday 10th January 2014. He played three at the back , four in midfield and three up-front. Charley Smeeton was unusually asked to play in the number 3 shirt and he shone throughout the match with his wing play and crosses.
Fawley surrendered midfield from the start and played a defence in depth game and as a result City dominated play throughout the 90 minutes.
City were very sharp with Ryan Holloway, Smeeton, Danilo Cadete and Adam Roberts exploiting the flanks. Stuart Green, John Borg, Luke Dempsey and Mike Hubbard ran midfield, competing for every ball and up front Warren Bentley, Geoff Dun and Danilo Cadete lapped up the chances.
For the first 15 minutes Fawley hardly crossed the halfway line. An early chance fell to Dunn when he picked up the ball in midfield, turned the full back but shot just wide. A long ball found Cadete and just as he shaped to shoot the ball was toe-punted away for a corner.
Some good interplay between Roberts and Hubbard set up Bentley but his shot was well saved by the Fawley 'keeper.
The break came in the 26th minute after a free kick from Dempsey went for a corner. Hubbard curled in the corner, Smeeton got a touch and Bentley headed home.
City went further ahead in the 29th minute when Green headed in from another Hubbard corner.
Winchester continued to press, giving Fawley no respite as each ball was challenged and in most cases won
Just before half time a cross from Cadete was headed by Dunn only for the Fawley 'keeper tp pull off a good save.
Cadete was prominent at the start of the second half and laid on a chance for Bentley but his shot was off target.
Despite all the pressure being on Fawley only a good diving save from Gareth Barfoot prevented them pulling one back in a rare counter attack.
Winchester's 'killer' goal came in the 67th minute when Bentley's shot was hacked off the line only to fall to Cadete who smashed it past the 'keeper.
Hubbard was replaced by Daryl Phillips in the 70th minute and a chance fell to him immediately but he put it wide.
Bentley came off in the 80th minute to be replaced by Liam Robinson and he too had an early chance but just failed to push the ball past the 'keeper.
City: Gareth Barfoot, Ryan Holloway, Charlie Smeeton, Stuart Green, John Borg, Luke Dempsey, Warren Bentley, Danilo Cadete, Josh Green, Mike McEnery, Callum Casson, Liam Robinson and Daryl Phillips.
