Win City (2 - 3) Horndean
The Daily Echo's continual tag as potential league champions looked a bit optimistic after City once again surrendered to Horndean at home, on this occasion after building a two-goal lead.
It was Horndean who looked to be the first to score early in the game but Gareth Barfoot made a good save from a long range shot.
Mike McEnery had Winchester's first chance but his goal-bound shot was deflected for a corner.
City's breakthrough came in the 15th minute when Adam Roberts jinxed past three defenders before the fourth floored him in the box and the Referee had no doubt about awarding the penalty which warren Bentley dispatched with ease.
City went further ahead in the 29th minute when McEnery collected a crossfield pass which left him clear and powered the ball home from close range.
City came looking for the third goal and in one 30 second attack, Mike McEnery, Roberts and Zack Glasspool all had shots hacked off the line.
Horndean got back in the game when a throw in was pumped into the box and City failed to clear and Barfoot was beaten with an angled shot.
McEnemy chased a ball into the box and the Horndean 'keeper, Lyall Beezley, came off his line and the players ran into each other with Beezley falling badly. He was subsequently carried off and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collar bone. The Referee made a bad mistake in booking McEnery for what was clearly an accident.
As the half ended, a layback from Glasspool fell to Adam Tomaso who curled a shot just round the post.
In the second half Horndean took control of the game, they out-muscled City in midfield which stopped them playing their passing game and reduced them to the long ball.
Two goals, both from poorly defended corners in the 60th and 63rd minutes proved to be the demise of City although they had still had enough chances to at least win a point.
Geoff Dunn came on in place of McEnery and Josh Green made his debut in place of Dominic Cope in the 65th minute.
Having reset his side Manager Paul Masters' had his plan disrupted when Luke Dempsey was sent off for denying a scoring chance.
City thought they had won a second penalty when Tomasso was brought down in the box but the Referee waved away the protests. They continued to press and Dunn had a shot well saved and a cross from Roberts just evaded Bentley as he tried to touch it home at the far post.
At the death Glasspool had a last chance to equalise when he took a free kick on the edge of the penalty area but the substitute keeper pulled off a brilliant save.
City: Gareth Barfoot, Adam Tomasso, Dominic Cope, Stuart Green, Scott Sampson, Luke Dempsey, Mike McEnery, Zack Glasspool, Warren Bentley, Adam Roberts, Geoff Dunn, JoshGreen, Ryan Holloway, Callum Cason and Liam Robinson.
