City missing three for trip to the Island

But that won’t unduly worry manager Paul Masters, who was shorn of five regulars for Saturday’s impressive 3-0 victory at Fawley AFC, which edged the Citizens up to fourth.

While Zach Glasspool returns from suspension this evening and Dom Cope is back available after becoming a dad, City will still be without suspended duo Scott Sampson and Chris Mason and the holidaying Adam Tomasso.

But a relaxed Masters, whose side are eight points off top spot with a game in hand, said: “We’ve used the squad a fair bit over the last month and everyone who comes in is more than good enough. I’m more than comfortable with the squad we’ve got.

“We bossed Saturday’s game at Fawley from the start and missed some easy chances. It could have been more.

“Apart from the Andover Town defeat, we’re on a good run.”

City camped in the Fawley half early on and the only surprise was that it took them 26 minutes to break through. Micky Hubbard curled in a corner, Charlie Smeeton headed on and the prolific Warren Bentley applied the finishing touch.

Three minutes later the Oilers were undone from another Hubbard with Stuart Green heading home. Danilo Cadete was prominent at the start of the second half and it was the former Blackfield winger who put result beyond doubt, following up after Bentley’s 67th-minute shot had been cleared off the line.

Daryll Phillips, who has returned to the City ranks from Brockenhurst, replaced Hubbard in the 70th minute and almost immediately put a chance wide.

Liam Robinson then replaced Bentley and he too had an early opening, but just failed to push the ball past the ’keeper. Winchester were the only top-six side to win on Saturday, but Masters said: “I don’t take much notice of that. The league’s so open this year that you half expect people to drop points. Everyone can beat everyone and it’s going to go to the wire.

“We’ll be in the mix, but we’ll need that bit of luck with injuries and suspensions and playing teams at the right time.”