Didcot Town v Winchester City
My fourth preseason game of 24/25 took me to Didcot for their clash with Winchester City. It took two trains to get me there and all in less than an hour which is a result considering some of the travelling I usually get involved in. This was to be my second visit to Loop Meadow with the first being somewhere around 20 odd years previously. Strangely I remembered how to get to the ground from the station which was a pleasant 15 minute walk through a park with the train line on your left (more of that in a minute).
The ground feels spacious and the pitch looked to be a good surface. The main stand is on the near side with a nice bar area, and with two mini stands and a covered standing area behind the goal to your right means if the weather turns a little inclement there are plenty of options to take cover. With the train station being so close, you often hear a blast from a train whistle/klaxon and the chugging of a steam engine in the distance. The Railwaymen being one of the seemingly many nicknames the team has, along with Diddy, The Artillerymen and The Gunners (at least according to our friends at Wikipedia).
In 23/24 Didcot were relegated from the Southern League Premier South and looking for a quick return while their visitors, Winchester City finished mid table in the same division so the two teams knew each other well and the game promised to be a good contest.
So in front of an attendance of I’d imagine around 100 the game kicked off. The first 20 minutes or so was a very even affair, plenty of effort and endeavour from both sides but without any clear cut chances. The visitors had the first real chance but the Didcot keeper managed to get enough on it to send it wide. Winchester thought they had a decent penalty shout when their number 10 looked to be taken down but their claims were waved away by the official.
City took the lead on the half hour mark when their pacy right winger raced onto a long ball over the top, took it around the keeper and knocked it into the empty net. 0-1
The Didcot number 10 had a half chance as the break approached, managing to get a shot away which just drifted past the far post.
H:T: Didcot Town 0 Winchester City 1
The hosts started the second half on the front foot pushing Winchester back and five minutes after the restart received their reward. Their number 8 did well to win the ball on the halfway line, linked up well with a team mate down the left flank and fashioned a shooting chance which was blocked but he wasn’t to be deterred, reacting quickly to pick up the rebound and fire home from close range. 1-1
Didcot were the better side for the next ten minutes or so but Winchester then started to get back into the game. A couple of the Citizens substitutes combined well but the shot went straight into the midriff of the home keeper. The City playmaker then had a half chance but pulled his effort wide before their number 12 forced a good save from the keeper.
In the 77th minute the pressure told, from a quick break down the left across picked out 12 where he volleyed the ball straight at the keeper with the ball coming back to him and into the net. How much he knew about it I’m not sure but Winchester were now back in the lead. 1-2
Didcot pushed to get back to parity and managed it five minutes from time when a header rattled the Winchester crossbar and the rebound was put away from close in. 2-2
F-T: Didcot Town 2 Winchester City 2
A draw was probably a fair result on the day. The game was a battle from start to finish and all the players from both sides will have got some valuable game time in their legs from this. The official was also definitely in preseason mode, very reluctant to make any slightly contentious decisions.
A good day out all the same and wish the best of luck to both teams this season.
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