IAN Saunders is intrigued by the Southern One South & West play-off chase – his big regret being that his Winchester City charges are on the outside looking in.

With just one win from their last eight league games, the Citizens are well off promotion pace in ninth spot.

The difference between play-off contenders and also-rans was all too apparent on Tuesday as Winchester were swept away by a torrent of early pressure at fourth-placed Salisbury.

With just 23 minutes gone, Steve Claridge’s Whites had powered into a 3-0 lead and, although City gathered themselves to hit back through ex-White Sam Wilson, the damage was already done.

“To say I was disappointed is an understatement,” admitted Saunders.

“We’d set ourselves up well, I thought, but they were one up in 90 seconds from their first cross of the game. We’ve left Justin Bennett, of all people, unmarked in the box, and then you know you’re in for a long night.

"You can’t afford to start like that against the form side in the league.

“Salisbury got a second and then a third and, at that point, I'm thinking 'what do I say to the lads at half-time if we go in six or seven down?' But we regrouped, set ourselves up to contain them and, as part of that containment, we were half tidy on the break and pulled one back.

“We had some other chances too and, had we got it back to 3-2, it could have been a different game. But, equally, they could have got a fourth or fifth."

Although Hereford are nailed on for the title, Saunders has long maintained that second-placed Taunton Town are the most “complete” side in the league.

That opinion hasn’t changed after Tuesday's 3-1 Ray Mac defeat, although he does rate Salisbury highly.

“Even if we’d been at our best for the first 25 minutes, Salisbury would probably have been one or two up because the way they move the ball around is exceptional at this level," he said.

“Salisbury are a good footballing side and Hereford play, play and play, but I still think Taunton edge it as a complete side. They’re a big, powerful, streetwise Southern League outfit.

"But there are still six or seven sides in the play-off mix - I'm just disappointed we're not one of them."

Losing Andy Jenkinson and Taz Roberts to work commitments on Tuesday didn’t help Winchester's cause. Both will hopefully be back, along with Danny Smith and Danny King, for Saturday's assignment at 19th-placed Yate.

Highlighting the need to get a decent result under their belts, Saunders said: “I’m under no illusions that we’ve got to go to Yate and make sure the season doesn’t capitulate.”

Salisbury have two huge fixtures ahead with Saturday's trip to third-placed Tiverton followed a visit from league leaders Hereford next Saturday (March 25). Fans are reminded that the Hereford game is all-ticket.