WINCHESTER City had firepower to spare against Bemerton Heath Harlequins in the FA Cup on Saturday – despite news that ex-Eastleigh striker Sam Wilson is leaving the club.

Wilson, 19, has been linked with rumoured interest from Sholing and ex-City boss Graham Kemp’s new charges Dorchester Town after growing frustrated at having to share the frontline duties at Winchester with Warren Bentley and Zach Glasspool.

Co-manager Danny Robinson said: “We’d like to have kept Sam but he’s a young lad who’s not had a great amount of game time sat on the bench with Eastleigh and dual-signed with a couple of other clubs. All he wants to do is play football and I don’t begrudge him that at all.

“But, in my eyes, we’ve got two of the best Wessex League strikers in Warren and Zach and we couldn’t let Sam play every minute of every game, every week.

“Sam’s a good lad and a very good player and I’m sure he’ll be a star wherever he goes.”

The Citizens crammed all the goals into the early stages of their 3-0 victory over Bemerton with Robinson joking: “We served up steak for 15 minutes and ended up with cheeseburgers!”

But strikes by Mike McEnery and Chris Mason (2) were good enough to book them another all-Sydenhams clash against Newport IoW on Saturday – just seven days after entertaining Steve Brougham’s Islanders in the league.

“That’s three goals in a week for Chris Mason. He’s been exemplary,” said Robinson.

“Three goals in 15 minutes on Saturday tells its own story, but I was frustrated at half-time because, me being me, I wanted to add to the score. But I suppose human nature took over and we became more relaxed and played possession football.

“Jason Collins had one save to make and Slader (Bemerton’s Jack Slade) hit the bar.”

Winchester lose the holidaying Liam Green for tonight’s Hampshire FA Senior Cup tie at AFC Totton, but are otherwise at full strength.

It’s a competition that means a lot to Robinson and co-boss Tim Cole, having led Alresford Town to glory over AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court two seasons ago.

“The Senior Cup’s given me my greatest football memory to date, so it’s a competition we want to do well in,” he said.