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After
25 minutes of this enjoyable FA Cup tie, Stones fans
must have feared the worst for Winchester City had started
brightly, passing the ball around quickly and creating
goal scoring opportunities.
But
City – much like United for large parts of last season
– failed to take advantage of the chances that fell
their way – and they paid the price as the Stones took
theirs to comfortably progress into the next round.
“To
be honest I always thought we’d come here and win,”
said Lloyd Hume, “But if someone had said to me after
20 minutes that we would win 3-0, at that point I would
have paid every penny I owned to get that. I think for
25 minutes they played us off the park, they are a very
good side, very well organised and they were a little
like us last year in that they dominated periods of
the game but didn’t take their chances. Hopefully the
future bodes well for us because the last couple of
games we haven’t played exceptionally well but we have
taken our chances and we look very strong up front.”
Winchester
City should have been least two goals in front by the
time the excellent Lyndon Rowland opened the scoring
with a nicely worked goal. But City’s Gary Green had
an age to curl a shot just past the post and then Jamie
Musselwhite blasted the ball across the face of goal
when he should have at least tested Pat Mullin.
The
goal gave United a much needed injection of confidence
and just minutes later Rowland was tugged back in the
box by Stuart Lang. Mo Takaloo was presented with the
chance to double the lead from the penalty spot and
for a dreadful moment it seemed as if his shot was going
to hit the post and come back out but the ball span
over the line and into the other corner of the net.
City
put the Stones under pressure for long periods at the
start of the second half but Mario Celaire, in particular,
shone at the back. Ian Mancey had a couple of long range
efforts go wide and Musselwhite’s fierce drive struck
the base of the post before Mullin had to dive to save
Mark Jones’ shot.
But
after a scuffle on 64 minutes, which ended with Jimmy
Strouts, Celaire, Mancey and Lang all getting booked,
Winchester’s goal scoring threat fizzled out. And United
then killed the game off when Nick Hegley was chopped
down whilst level with the edge of the area. The ever
reliable Gary Kimble put yet another good ball in the
box and Rowland arrived late to power a header straight
past David Hook.
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