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MATCH REPORT- Winchester City 2-4 Gloucester City



Gloucester CIty made it nine games unbeaten in the Southern Premier Division South after dispatching Winchester having come from 2-1 down at the Charters Stadium.


A frenetic game saw Brandon Smalley give the Tigers an early lead in just five minutes after Harry Emmett played a fantastic ball before Smalley rounded Winchester's keeper Luke Cairney and tapped it in.


The Tigers' advantage only lasted four minutes after Luka Chalwell fired a thumping volley from outside the area which Jared Thompson in the City goal could do nothing about as it went straight into the top left corner.


The away side should have preserved their advantage after Joe Hanks went through for City but his shot was well saved by Cairney's feet and then Winchester went up the other end and completed an eight minute turnaround to take the lead on 13 minutes.


Ik Hill chested the ball in the box and fired past Thompson to give Winchester who had only lost one of their four previous league games a surprise lead.


It wasn't looking like it was going to be City's day when they couldn't find the telling touch midway through the first half as three chances weren't converted in quick succession.


Tyrone Duffus drove with the ball finding King Baidoo but his shot cannoned off the left hand post falling to Smalley but the Winchester defence was resolute and blocked the first, before Cairney tipped his second wide of the right hand post.


Hanksy nearly brought the scores level as the Citizens were defending well and his shot deflected just wide, but the table toppers were building the pressure that would eventually prove telling.


On 31 minutes, King Baidoo was there at the right place to pounce to nab his first League goal for City to draw ths cores level.


A delightful cross was put in which was met by Hanksy's head, but Cairney was there to deny him before Baidoo fired home the rebounded to give the Tigers their just rewards from the first half an hour.


Hanksy must have wondered what he would have to do to score as Emmett played it back to the City top scorer but his effort dragged just wide of the post and ensured that the two sides remained level going into half time.


As the mist descended on the Charters Community Stadium chances were becoming few and far between as Winchester tried to hold out for a precious point to build on their strong recent form.


The match became tetchy with a plethora of yellow cards handed out as tensions began to boil, while there was little in goalmouth action although Ed Williams and Kingy went close for City.


With just 20 minutes left on the clock, Gloucester made their domination of the game count and not content with netting his first league goal for the club, Baidoo bagged his second of the match.


Winchester didn't clear a corner and the ball fell to Baidoo who just managed to sneak the ball over the line to send the away fans who made the long trip down South into delirium.


The Citizens players were adamant that Baidoo handled the ball on the way to tapping it into the net, but after consultation with his assistant, their protests were short lived and the turnaround was complete.


The game was out of reach for Winchester just three minutes later and after being frustrated earlier on in the game, Hanksy finally got his goal that his performance deserved.


A role reversal of the goal that got City level in the game helped give the away side a two goal lead.


This time a Baidoo header was well saved by Cairney denying him his hat-trick and Hanksy made it 11 for the season as he smashed it into the back of the net before joining in the celebrations with the away fans.


From that moment on, City controlled the game and were unwilling to take risks which saw them be 2-1 down in the first place, as Mike Cook made four changes in Kieran Phillips, Harry Burns, Dan Ball (back from suspension) and Jaxson Hundt to kill the game off.


With just seconds left of the contest Winchester had a goal ruled out for offside as a Tommy Wright volley was ruled out for being offside and ensured a comfortable end to a strong Tigers performance.


With that win, Gloucester preserved their two point advantage at the top of the league, with Totton demolishing Taunton 5-1, with Merthyr a further three points back having played two games less.


Merthyr will be making up one of those games on Saturday, with City in FA Trophy action as they play host to Coleshill Town hoping to progress through to the second round of the Trophy, a feat that has been achieved for the last four seasons

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