ALRESFORD Town came back from 2-0 down to deny Winchester City a return to the top of the Sydenhams Wessex Premier League.

The Magpies trailed 2-0 after 35 minutes of the local derby at Abbotts Barton and Winchester looked set to go back above Sholing, who had come from 2-0 down to beat Blackfield & Langley 3-2 on Friday night.

A repeat of Alresford’s 3-0 FA Cup defeat against Winchester at Arlebury Park the previous week was on the cards when Ben Osborne and a Chris Flood penalty put the home side 2-0 up.

But in the end last season’s surprise package were unfortunate not to take all three points after hitting back through Chris Manning and a Warren Bentley spot kick.

Winchester bossed the first half, with number ten Russell Cook outstanding.

Cook, who followed manager Graham Kemp from Christchurch during the summer, produced an outstanding cross for the first goal, which Ben Osborne turned in at the near post to give Winchester a tenth-minute lead.

The ball appeared to be drifting out of play but Cook, under pressure on the byline, wrapped his right foot around the ball and Osborne, another Christchurch old boy, converted with an outstretched leg.

Following an eye-of-a-needle through ball, Cook nearly doubled Winchester’s lead after a quarter of an hour, but Alresford goalkeeper Jason Collins parried away a powerful strike.

Collins could do nothing to prevent former Eastleigh winger Chris Flood making it two from the spot in the 34th minute.

When Flood’s shot was handled in the penalty area, he sent Collins the wrong way from 12 yards and a Cook screamer nearly made it three, whistling past the far upright.

But Alresford were given hope in the 44th minute, when Chris Manning pulled a goal back from close range after Dan Strange’s effort had come back off the woodwork.

It was the first goal that Winchester have conceded in seven matches this season. The visitors were the better side in what became a scrappy second half.

They grew in confidence, with left-winger Dominic Cope impressing but missing two headers, one put over the bar and the other straight at Winchester’s former AFC Totton goalkeeper Ross Casey.

Alresford’s pressure was finally rewarded in the 64th minute, when Bentley sent Casey the wrong way, having won the penalty at the goalkeeper’s expense.

Winchester’s best opportunities of the second half fell to former Eastleigh defender Leigh Mills, who put one chance well wide and then drilled narrowly over.

But Bentley nearly won it for Alresford, his shot from an angle well saved by Casey late on.