Penalty sets City up and running again in FA Vase

Winchester City's FA Vase challenge is up and running again - courtesy of a Michael Dean penalty and an own goal which secured a 2-0 win over Dorset Senior League champions, Hamworthy United this week.

City's sights are now fixed on next Saturday's visit to Brighton-based Whitehawk Athletic - a third round tie Neil Hards' squad will expect to win.

Whitehawk, based in Brighton's notorious Kemptown estate, are languishing mid-table in the Sussex County League, with 23 points from 16 games.

But they hit 11 goals in their two Vase ties last month, thrashing Mile Oak 6-1 and Burnham Ramblers 5-2.

Winchester, who expect to run a supporters coach to Whitehawk, got through at the third time of asking against Hamworthy, whose two previous attempts to travel to the Denplan Stadium were thwarted by bad weather.

Despite three days incessant rain, the Denplan pitch was in remarkably good condition for Monday's tie - the players only having a greasy surface to contend with.

Winchester had - and wasted - the chances to have got themselves in front long before Dean's early second-half penalty, awarded for an ill-timed tackle by Paul Bedward on City's on-loan Liam Greening.

Dean's ninth goal of the season - buried in the bottom corner - sent former Blackfield & Langley keeper Tom Hawkins the wrong way.

Prior to that both Gearing and Lloyd Webber had gone close with dipping shots over the bar.

Fielding only four of the side which carried off the Dorset League championship last term - former Wimborne boss Alex Pike, a Vase Wembley winner in 1991, brought in a host of new faces when he took over the managerial reins - Hamworthy seldom looked likely to break City's grip.

Their fading chances dimmed altogether when Anthony Tilley headed Shaun Dyke's cross past Hawkins on the hour.

City boss Neill Hards was content with the performance.

He said: "I'm happy that we've got the result against a Hamworthy team which came here and, like most teams, put ten men behind the ball.

"We passed the ball a lot better in the second half and it is always important first and foremost to get the win in a cup game and we've done that without playing our best."

Winchester may give a debut to Eastleigh's on-loan midfielder Martin Beck in tomorrow's Syndehams Wessex League and may hand a debut to Martin Beck, a left sided player on loan from Eastleigh.

Forty--goal Andy Forbes, who has been suffering from hamstring trouble, may also be fit, although Ian Mancey is unlikely be risked.

Goalkeepers Darren Crowfoot and Ollie Rastall are both still out although Rastall has resumed training.

Details of the supporters club coach to Whitehawk will be available at tomorrow's match against Cowes Sports at the Denplan Stadium.