Winchester City got a crucial week in the Sydenhams Premier Division off to the perfect start by defeating Folland Sports 5-2 at the Denplan City Ground tonight.

City took a 1-0 lead in a close first half through Geoff Dunn before the visitors, who have now lost five consecutive league games, levelled through Callum Brockway at the start of a breathless goal flurry in the second period.

Warren Bentley scored his first to retake the lead before Ryan Long burst through to equalise once more for Folland – all coming in a four-minute spell.

But defensive frailties saw the Hamble-based club lose the plot completely as Zach Glasspool netted twice, while Bentley struck his second from the penalty spot to make it look comfortable for the home side.

The victory means third-placed City have closed the gap to six points on second-placed Moneyfields ahead of their heavyweight tussle against the Portsmouth side at the Denplan on Friday night (7.45pm).

“I’ve said the league is (table toppers) Petersfield’s to lose but what we’ve got to try and do is go unbeaten until the end of the season,” said Winchester boss Paul Masters.

“We’ve now played three games and scored 16 goals, so things are looking up.

“I thought first half there were two good sides out there, second half we slowly ground them down.

“The boys are looking forward to it (the Moneyfields game) now, it’s a good result tonight and Moneyfields will be another tough game.” This Shrove Tuesday match was beginning to look as flat as a pancake, until Winchester squeezed some zest into it with the opener on 30 minutes.

Captain Glasspool held off interest from the Folland defence to run to the edge of the box and pick out Dunn on the right.

The former Eastleigh winger struck with venom into the bottom left of the net.

The second half took ten minutes to truly get going but when it did the floodgates opened.

Folland grabbed the first of a four-minute goal flurry.

Brockway took control on the edge of the box after the ball came clear from a cross. The centre back picked his spot with all the panache of a seasoned striker, firing low through the packed box into the right of the goal.

Bentley then struck his 43rd of the campaign, heading home a header from an Adam Tomasso cross.

The eighth placed visitors then struck an equaliser seconds later as Long rounded stopper Gareth Barfoot and slotted in.

A clearly frustrated Denplan crowd were probably fearing the worst before Glasspool lifted their spirits.

First, the ex-Alresford man headed in from a Dominic Cope cross before capping a wonderful team move by slotting home from close range to give City a 4-2 lead.

With 14 minutes left Bentley then completed his double from the penalty spot after Matt Casey fouled.