WINCHESTER City played out the proverbial game of two halves in yesterday's 2-2 Evo-Stik South West draw at Cinderford Town.

The Citizens had goalkeeper Ryan Pryce to thank for restricting Cinderford to a 2-0 half-time lead.

But Winchester significantly raised their game after the break to wipe out the damage done by Andy Lewis’s 23rd-minute penalty and a Declan Morley-Lyne strike on the brink of half-time.

Lewis Bamford hit the City crossbar before the fightback began with a tremendous long-range strike from recent signing Liam Gilbert.

Pryce was called on again to make a couple of important stops as City pushed up in the quest for an equaliser. It finally arrived in the 86th minute when Pat Cox tapped home from a corner.

“We went down there looking for three points and came back with one but, with the way the game panned out, I’m not disappointed,” said Winchester boss Craig Davis.

“First half we were poor and it seemed like a hangover from last week’s game against Salisbury (a 5-4 defeat).

“As well as we’d trained, I got the vibe that the lads were feeling a bit sorry for themselves.

“We told them a few home truths at half-time and, to come back like we did from 2-0 down, could be a big moment in the season for us.

“For the majority of the second half, it was all us and we put in a good display.

“I was quite impressed with Cinderford and it was a decent game of football. We always seem to be involved in intriguing and entertaining matches.

“It feels like that could be a massive point for us with the way it was picked up.”

Winchester stay ninth, level on 20 points with AFC Totton and Wimborne Town.

*SALISBURY rose to second in the Evo-Stik South West with a 2-0 win at Barnstaple Town.

Goals by Stuart Green and Zack Kotwica sealed a fifth consecutive away win for Steve Claridge’s Whites.

Ex-Winchester City midfielder Green struck just past the half-hour mark before on-loan Gloucester City striker Kotwica netted his first goal for the club on 52 minutes.

Wimborne Town trailed 2-0 at home to Shortwood United until the 68th minute. Yet, miraculously, the Magpies emerged 5-2 winners thanks to a late goal rush from Jack Lovell (2), Toby Holmes (2) and Sam Bayston.