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Winchester City FC vs Sittingbourne FC – FA Trophy 2nd Round

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The cup-tie was a dramatic event, ending in a penalty shootout that will live long in the memory of the almost 500 attendees, with many being traveling Sittingbourne fans.

Both teams had the potential to make history, with Winchester only reaching the third round once before, and Sittingbourne yet to achieve the feat.

Sittingbourne came into the match favourites, winning their prior seven games in a row and sitting comfortably in the top three of the Isthmian League South.

While Winchester were on the road to recovery after an injury-ridden start to the season left them with just one win in 11 in the league. However, their form was picking up in recent games, winning three of their last four.

The first half was all Winchester, with Sittingbourne only able to muster up chances through long throws and corners.

Winchester’s Luka Chalwell took the lead only a minute before the half time whistle with a neat chip over Sittingbourne’s Harley Earle.

But Winchester will be disappointed that their lead at half time was only by one given their dominance.

Sittingbourne turned the game on its head in the second half, getting a number of early chances and putting real pressure on the Winchester backline.

In the 80th minute the frustration got the better of Winchester’s Jamie Barron, who put his arm round the neck of an opposing player during a set piece, resulting in a penalty.

As soon as Mitchell May converted for Sittingbourne it felt like only a matter of time until they completed the comeback, with Winchester continually failing to string simple passes together.

The tension reached a boiling point in the 85th minute, with Winchester’s Dan Bradshaw kicking the ball at a Sittingbourne fan resulting in a fight between the teams.

The fight led to three red cards; a straight red for Dan Bradshaw, a second yellow for Jamie Barron and a straightred for Sittingbourne’s goalscorer Mitchell May.

The pressure only increased after Winchester were reduced to nine men, with Sittingbourne having countless efforts to win it, including a shot from 30 yards which smacked the post.

The FA Trophy lets the clubs decide whether to settle the game with extra time and penalties or just the latter, leading to some confusion in the stands near the 90th minute mark over what comes next.

The clubs both agreed to a shootout, with Winchester winning both coin tosses, going first in front of their home crowd.

Dan Jones missed the first penalty of the shootout for Winchester, and it gave Sittingbourne the platform they needed, as they had a flawless five in five record in the shootout.

The game finished 1-1 with Sittingbourne winning 5-4 on penalties.

Congratulations to Sittingbourne on their historic victory.

Next up for Winchester is a home fixture against Havant and Waterlooville in the league, where they look to drag themselves away from the relegation zone.

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Meira Ashby seals dramatic comeback for Wycombe Wanderers

Rebecca Perez Taylor

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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

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Beyond the punches: The real basics of boxing for beginners

Rebecca Perez Taylor

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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. 

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Sport

Squash finally secures its Olympic debut at LA 2028

Rebecca Perez Taylor

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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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