Fast forward to the start of the season, before a ball was kicked they were firm favourites for relegation. Fast forward further to Easter Monday, Monday 10th April 2023, a 1-2 victory against Salisbury secured their league status with three match to spare. Having never been in the division before the Citizens get another crack at it.
Granted most non league successes are underdog stories, possible exception of FC Hollywood in Northern Wales (Wrexham) and Class of 92 City (otherwise known as Salford City.) This was a genuine underdog triumph. Winchester City have the smallest playing budget in the league & a stadium not up to the respective level of football - a supporters stampede in the playoff final, tearing down the pitch barrier behind a goal not helping this situation.
Despite these limitations league safety is secured and it feels right to take a moment to look back.
Rule of three
I appreciate "season in brief" connotes a Premier League Years style breakdown of matches & key events by month however, sadly, this is not that in regards to the 22/23 season for Winchester City. It is though an alternative approach in commentary of a clubs story.
A few years ago at a music festival, a friend and I came up with a ruling in order to maximise acts we saw. You can claim to have seen a band/artist providing you have seen a minimum of three songs from the set. I believe the same principle can be attributed to a clubs season. Despite my locality in the Channel Islands, I witnessed three matches for the Citizens this season. Collectively these three; Winchester City vs Chesham United, Poole Town vs Winchester City and Winchester City vs Hayes & Yeading United lend themselves to the overall story of the 22/23 campaign.
Winchester City 1-1 Chesham United
October 15th 2022
Having seen Winchester City in level 9 (Wessex League Premier) of the pyramid as recently as the early 2010s, the prospect of level 7 football was remarkable. For most of my youth Saturday consisted of following Winchester home or away with my dad. Being slightly past my own youth, this match actually gave the opportunity for three generations to watch Winchester as my newborn son attended his first mainland football match
*Specification of mainland football required having taken him and my partner to a 0-0 draw between Jersey Bulls and Tadley Caleva the weekend prior.
While I had delusions of my partner, my son and I pitch-side watching the game, the weather had other ideas. Middle of October and a rather rain soaked Simplyhealth ground, thankfully the clubhouse has windows. Chesham took an early lead, a goal I missed during a nappy change. Once said change was complete I ventured out to the stand just in time so see Winchester's equaliser. City forward Simba Mlambo picked up the ball in the left channel, sent a curling cross towards the penalty area.
I've seen better crosses but inadvertently the Chesham defender at the front post misjudged his clearing header. The ball looping over the hapless goalkeeper. Despite an apparent own goal it was credited to Winchester striker Warren Bentley. You don't get the dubious goals committee at this level. 1-1 it would end as both sides struggled in the conditions.
Hardly a classic. Though a valuable point secured at home to a side on route to finish in the playoff places. A common cliché in football is good home form will keep you up yet only 21 points came at home this season for City, less than 50% their total tally. Winchester seemingly a side stronger on their travels. Although as I was to discover they aren't always.
Poole Town 1-0 Winchester City
February 14th 2023
The prospect of spending Valentine's evening this way wasn't exactly my partners first choice plan however she was ultimately very understanding. Commonly the immediate frame of reference for Poole Town is that they're a former Conference, sorry I mean National League South side infamous for their role in Charlie Austin's career. A very physical side who frequently threatened to score in the first half with City keeper Charlie Philpott called into action multiple times. The games only goal coming from a set piece with roughly 15 minutes remaining, a towering header powering past Charlie in goal. City in fairness has a great chance to equalise as substitute Henry Brooks had left footed drive bounce back of the post.
Alas the game ended 1-0. A game serving as a reminder that this league has some strong sides with recency of a higher level of competition that what Winchester find themselves in now. That said great solace can be taken from such a performance, Winchester by no means outclassed.
Winchester City 3-0 Hayes & Yeading United
April 8th 2023
Three home wins plus two away draws post Poole Town defeat had positioned City just outside the relegation zone. Victory against Hayes & Yeading would all but secure survival. City came out flying. Warren Bentley slotting home inside the opening five minutes - nothing dubious about this strike.
Later in the first half the away side were reduced to 10 men after two bookable challenges in quick succession. The rest of the half Winchester did everything but score hitting all manner of woodwork without adding a second goal. It took until halfway through into the second half to double their lead, during which time the opposition had fashioned a couple of opportunities to draw level. After 70 minutes substitute IK Hill pounced on a loose ball in the book to smash the ball past the Hayes & Yeading goalkeeper. A scramble in the box saw City add a third as Bentley, again, poked home from no more than 2 yards out.
Party time. Realisation set in amongst the Winchester faithful that just 1 point from the remaining four games would be enough. As stated earlier, two days later Winchester took all three points at Salisbury to confirm safety.
I'll keep it brief
With the Hayes & Yeading match I effectively completed the league. Seeing one draw, one loss and finally one win in my three matches this season.
That 1-1-1 record, as it would show statistically, was against sides in the top ten of the league. This account of three games against such sides shows differing elements of Winchester's season. First game showed a team who this season have stepped up to a new level, getting a point in a cagey dreary encounter. Second match serving as a reminder that this team do have a way to go to establish longevity in this league. More importantly and certainly more excitingly from a fan's perspective the final game shows a side capable of being clinical, winning a key game when it mattered.
Jury out on whether this piece is really a season in brief, regardless "the Winch are staying up" and deservedly so.
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