AFTER an agonising run of form that resulted in five straight defeats, Winchester hockey players entered this game with their backs very much against the wall.
Defeat against Epsom, sitting in a promotion position at the start of the day and the anticipation of a Trojans win at BBHC, would have put the mid-Hants side in severe danger of being dragged into a play-off nightmare. In the event, Winchester played their most assured match of the season and gave themselves a much better chance of staying clear of trouble.
The home team were quick off the mark with Kent Langridge sweeping the ball home on the third minute. Keeper Ally Birch was called upon three times in the remainder of the half to keep out the Epsom threat before Andy Winnett poked in his second league goal of the season after Adrian Wilkinson crashed in a ball from the left.
Top scorer Ben Hibberd was at the centre of Winchester's two second half goals. The first was a dazzling run to the backline and pull back for Wilkinson the drive into the net.
The second was a sumptuous 60 metre ball to Kent Langridge he took the ball at full stretch on his reverse stick, rounded the keeper and reverse-sticked home from a narrow angle.
Interspersed between these two events was an Epsom goal that gave Winchester some anxious moments and indeed Birch made two memorable saves to avoid an even more anxious last few minutes.
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However, in Kent, Trojans were losing to BBHC, so the result of this game became an irrelevance, but Winchester will store this away as an important resurrection of their true ability.
A convoluted relegation scenario now plays out over the coming weeks as first, Bromley and Beckenham must retain their position in the National League South Division. If they manage this, this will mean that Winchester will retain their status in South League Div 2. If Bromley and Beckenham are relegated, then Winchester must rely on Fareham prgressing through the National League play-offs.
l There were a festival of goals in Sunday's Hampshire Cup semi-final where Winchester 1st XI beat Trojans 1st XI 14-6 at Kings School.
Trojans, clearly under-resourced and under-prepared, were early fodder for the hungry Winchester attacking force and were seven goals to nil up just before half time with goals from skipper Will Brown, Adrian Wilkinson and Andy Winnett with teenagers George Lambert and Will Barrett with a brace apiece.
Trojans responded with a goal with the last hit of the half and this spurred them into being more competitive in the second period.
An open play goal from Trojans after five minutes gave them a spark of hope, but Ben Hibberd snuffed that out with a reverse hit shot.
Trojans responded almost immediately witha well -worked goal after a series of penetrating passes but Winchester hit back through Wilkinson.
With both teams tiring after two matches in two days, the play became very stretched.
Trojans scored an open play fourth to make it 9-4, but then Kent Langridge made it double fugures for the home team, Wilkinson completed his hat-trick after an unselfish pass from Hibberd.
Trojans then banged in the next two to make it only a five goal differential. But then Winchester surged away with two more from Wilkinson and one for returning ex-1st XI player Andy Watson who impressed in midfield on his return after nearly ten years away.
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