Sport
Gosport suffer Hampshire derby defeat in Glenn Howes’ first game

Credit: Elliot Norton
Gosport remain 10th in the league after suffering their first loss in the league since late August, and their first under new manager Glenn Howes.
The defeat brings to end an unbeaten league run of five games.
The first two goals couldn’t have been more different.
Basignstoke took the lead just after 20 minutes, after a parried shot from Ben Cook was fired in by Chieck Sylla, only for Benny Read to fire level just seven minutes later with a beauty of a strike that soared into the top left corner.
Basingstoke restored their lead after Gosport failed to clear the ball properly, a flick over the top left Captain Billy Upton in acres of space, flicking the ball past Ryan Hall, the ball bouncing slowly into the back of the net just before half-time.
The goal meant that Glenn Howes would need to fight back again if they wanted to keep their unbeaten run going under the new manager, following Howes’ appointment as sole head coach on Thursday after the departure of joint head coach Danny Hollands on Wednesday.
Howes made only one change to the line-up that was victorious over Hungerford last week, as Michael Fernandes replaced the former Winchester City player Trevor Caborn.
The second half was action-packed as Gosport fought back from a goal down to lead 3-2 after a brilliant team goal was finished with a tap-in from Ethan Taylor, assisted by Rafa Ramos.
The pair linked up again 19 minutes later, with Taylor feeding Ramos through on goal, with the forward firing the ball into the bottom left corner.
Their lead lasted just six minutes as Basignstoke’s James Dickson chipped his free kick into the Gosport net, with the Gosport players seemingly lost to how it happened. The goal saw Basignstoke level with less than ten minutes of regular time left to play.
Gosport tried to restore the lead they once held, but ultimately ended up gifting the win to Basignstoke as Goalkeeper Ryan Hall’s mistake put the ball on a plate for Sylla to score his second of the game and Basignstoke’s fourth.
Full time and a 4-3 defeat for Howes’ men after what could’ve easily been a 3-2 win, with mistakes in the end proving costly as Gosport miss out on an opportunity to close the gap to the playoff places.
While the victory for Basingstoke sees them move clear of the drop zone and into 12th, just two points behind their Hampshire rivals.
“When you concede four goals in the manner we did at home, it’s not great, and we understand that.”
Gosport head coach Glenn Howes told Winchester News Online:
“I felt we were very good for large parts of the game, particularly in possession. We created some significant chances, scored some goals, but when you concede four goals in the manner we did at home, it’s not great, and we understand that.”
Football
Meira Ashby seals dramatic comeback for Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers made a dramatic comeback with two goals from Meira Ashby, the second of which put her side ahead in the 63rd minute.
Winchester’s Chelsie Hay opened the scoring in the 16th minute and doubled the lead shortly after, giving the flayers a comfortable 2-0 lead and the hope of being able to equal in points with the opponents in the league table.
HT: Winchester City Flyers 2 – 0 Wycombe Wanderers
A first goal for the visiting team came in the 57th minute through Kayla Potter, giving the Wanderers a renewed belief in being able to win the game. Just minutes later, Meira Ashby struck twice, in the 61st and 63rd minutes, completing the turnaround and securing the comebackthat keeps the Wanderers comfortably at the top of the table.
FT: Winchester City Flyers 2 – 3 Wycombe Wanderers
The Winchester Flyers take the loss and remain behind Wycombe Wanderers in the league standings, meanwhilethe wanderers stay in first place for yet another week. The result adds pressure on Winchester to keep pace, while it further strengthens Wycombe’s position as title contenders.
Next up for Winchester is another home fixture, this time against Southampton Women’s FC
Waycombe Wanderers will face Abingdon United FC in their next match.
Both teams head into their upcoming fixtures with very different momentum. Winchester will be looking to regroup and be able to keep their first-half performance into the full 90 minutes, while Wycombe will aim to keep building on what they have been doing and maintain their place at the top of the table
Sport
Beyond the punches: The real basics of boxing for beginners
Boxing might look aggressive from the outside, making it easy to overlook the discipline, technique, and community that actually define the sport.
Walking into a boxing gym for the first time can feel intimidating, but most beginners are surprised by how structured and supportive the environment is.
At Winchester Boxing Club, head coach Filip Duda says the fundamental key of boxing for beginners is footwork, “get that right”, he explains, “then everything else comes quite naturally”. This is a reminder that the sport isn’t just about throwing punches, but about learning how to move, balance and stay in control.
For beginners, that means starting with the basics: understanding your stance, keeping your guard up, and building confidence through repetition.
Another coach at the club emphasised the importance of mastering the fundamentals not only physically but also mentally. “Understanding that you are not always going to win and that you most likely will lose your first fight”, she says, is just as important as the physical part of the sport.
Boxing is also often viewed as a male-dominated sport. Some of the women training in Winchester admitted that it is challenging at times to be in such a male-dominated sport; however, she said it has been amazing and empowering to join this sport.
While every boxer’s journey starts differently, the message across the club is the same: anyone is welcome to give the sport a try.
From building fitness to gaining confidence, boxing offers something valuable to everyone who walks through the door.
Sport
Squash finally secures its Olympic debut at LA 2028
The Olympics are the biggest sporting stage in the world, the place every athlete dreams of reaching one day.
For squash players, however, that dream has been out of reach.
That will finally change at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where Squash is set to make its long awaited Olympic debut as one of five sports added to this edition of the Games.
Squash was invented in England during the 19th century, and since then it has grown into a global sport, played in more than 180 countries.
Squash is a fast-paced racket sport played indoors in a four-walled court. Players rally a small rubber ball against the walls, using speed, precision and placement to make it as difficult as possible for their opponent to return the shot.
Despite its worldwide reach and its presence in other major multi-sport events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Pan American Games and the World Games, squash has never been part of the Olympic Games program. The closest it has been to appearing in the games before was at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, where it appeared as a demonstration sport.
Over the years, the sport has made several bids for inclusion; London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, but each attempt was unsuccessful. After decades of campaigning, the sport has finally earned a spot in the competition.
A key factor in squash’s inclusion can be attributed to the evolution of its facilities. The modern glass courts allow spectators to see the action of the game from every angle, making the sport more accessible for fans and broadcasters. These innovations have made squash a more television-friendly event, and this is one of the factors that helped it secure its spot on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
This Olympic recognition is expected to boost the popularity of the sport worldwide, increasing participation, investment in the sport and visibility, helping squash grow and establish itself as a major sport.
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