Winchester City: Keeper Cairney rescues point with another late penalty

Winchester City goalkeeper Luke Cairney scored a second penalty in two games to earn his side a point against Hungerford Town.

This was the third time in less than a month that Winchester and Hungerford faced each other – the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup, before the Citizens snatched a 1-0 win in the replay.

City came into the game in dire need of some points, having picked up just a single victory from their opening nine league outings.

But visitors Hungerford arrived full of confidence following their 3-1 FA Trophy win over Sholing.

It was Winchester who had the first opportunity of the game, a Trevor Caborn shot from the edge of the area sailing just over the bar.

But it was Hungerford who opened the scoring on 13 minutes, a Louis McGrory corner being met by a pinpoint header from Baboucarr Jarra.

Shortly after the half-hour mark the visitors came inches away from doubling the lead when a Jacob Bancroft effort was saved by a last-ditch clearance from Winchester’s Callum Buckley.

But just two minutes later Hungerford did find that all-important second when a shot rebounded straight to the feet of Elis Watts, who slotted a clever back heel into the net.

Any hope of a Winchester comeback was looking unlikely as the half time whistle approached, but a Jamie Barron corner in first-half stoppage time founds its way to Kieran Douglas, whose towering header was enough to cut the deficit to one.

City came out for the second half a changed team; despite an unpleasant-looking injury to the goalscorer Douglas, momentum had very clearly swung in their favour.

A shot from Caborn was put just over the bar after some lovely work in the build up from Ik Hill.

Cairney to the rescue

On the hour mark a Hungerford defender was penalised for a foul on Caborn inside the area, and Winchester had a spot-kick.

In came goalkeeper Luke Cairney, whose last-minute strike from 12 yards rescued a point against Poole Town in midweek.

Cairney’s penalty sent his opposite number the wrong way, and City were level once again.

With five minutes to go Hungerford’s Watts slipped a nice ball through to Dawid Regula, but his powerful shot was denied by the legs of Cairney.

The final whistle blew with both sides believing they could have taken all three points, but in the end they were made to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Winchester will travel to Swindon Supermarine in midweek looking to pick up a first league win since August.

City ran out 5-2 winners when the sides met earlier this month, but Swindon will come into the game high on confidence after their 4-0 weekend win against Tiverton Town.