Win City (2 - 0) Verwood Town
Winchester City 2 Verwood Town 0
A revitalised Verwood Town came to the Denplan Stadium on Saturday 7th March determined to avenge the 5-0 defeat they suffered at the hands of City at Potterne Park. If they had taken their chances they may have achieved it but the luck was with City in the first half and they tired in the second as City got their game going.
The first half certainly belonged to Verwood as City failed to find their form and the visitors dominated midfield
Verwood should have gone ahead early in the game when a tremendous shot beat Gareth Barfoot all ends up but crashed on to the underside of the cross bar and luckily bounced out. Had we had goal line technology I'm confident the incident would have be disputed but Verwood did not claim a goal and the Referee played on.
A similar incident saw the same result with the underside of the bar being smacked again. From my spot at the other end of the ground it looked as if the ball had gone in, hit the side netting from the inside and catapulted out but again their was no claim from Verwood and as their players were much nearer than me I bow to their sportsmanship.
Whilst the spotlight was on Verwood in the first half, City's defence played well to keep them at bay but up front we only created one real chance when Chris Mason put in a long range shot which the Verwood 'keeper did well to tip over the bar for a corner.
After a good kick up the backside (also known as a tactical discussion) by Manager Paul Masters at half time, City were a different side in the second half. Adam Tomaso, Luke Dempsey and Dominic Cope were superb both in defence and attack and the midfield of Jaimie Thoroughgood Mason and Micky Hubbard added steel to the attack.
Zack Glasspool worked hard up front with little reward but his determination created chances for Geoff Dunn, Adam Roberts and Warren Bentley.
With City well on top the break came on the hour when Bentley collected a long and high ball, controlled it with one foot and hit it into the back of the net with the other.
City's momentum was disrupted in the 68th minute when Dunn limped off to be replaced by Liam Robinson but he soon picked up the pace.
Glasspool had a good shot well saved as City pressed.
City increased their lead in the 74th minute when Micky Hubbard put a corner kick on the spot which was headed onto the post in a melee of players and rebounded to Thoroughgood who worked a space and smashed it into the net.
Another chance fell to Glasspool who did well to get his head to a long free kick but the ball went just over the bar.
Two more changes were made to secure the points. Mason was replaced by Stuart Green in the 74th minute and Roberts was replaced by Danilo Cadete in the 76th minute.
Just before time Robinson put in a penetrating run and forced the 'keeper into a good save.
City: Gareth Barfoot, Adam Tomaso, Dominic Cope, Micky Hubbard, Jaimie Thoroughgood, Luke Dempsey, Adam Roberts, Chris Mason, Zack Glasspool, Warren bentley, Geoff Dunn, Liam Robinson, Stuart Green, Danilo Cadete, Daryll Phillips and Ryan Holloway.
