Match Preview

Tomorrow Bideford travel to Winchester City in Southern League Division One South & West.

A Brief History of Winchester City
Winchester City were originally founded in 1891 as Winchester Swallows FC. They became Winchester FC in 1894 and then Winchester City FC in 1907. Winchester played local level football in the Hampshire League until they joined Southern League Division One South for the 1971/72 season. However, the next season they were relegated back to the Hampshire League in which they fell to the third tier in 1979. In 1991/92 Winchester were Division Two (third tier) champions and began their long climb back up the leagues. It took nine seasons to get out of Division One which they did in 2000/01 by winning the division title but it took only two seasons to become Hampshire League champions as they finished top of the Premier Division in 2002/03. Winchester's ascension continued as they joined the Wessex League in 2003/04 and finished as champions as well as winning the FA Vase with a 2-0 win over AFC Sudbury at St Andrews, Birmingham. The Citizens were runners-up in 2004/05 and champions again in 2005/06. They rejoined Southern League Division One (South & West) in 2006/07 but were relegated back to the Wessex League in 2008/09. Winchester won their third Wessex League title in 2011/12 to be promoted back to the Southern League but lasted just one season and were relegated once again. In 2014/15 City were runners-up in the Wessex Premier and were promoted to the Southern League for a fourth time. This time they fared much better with a fifth place finish and qualification for the play-offs after achieving their highest ever league position. However their hopes of promotion ended with a semi final play-off defeat to Banbury United.

Form
Winchester are a team in great form having won ten of their last twelve games, including a 2-1 win at the Sports Ground in December thanks to a controversial injury time penalty. Striker Craig Feeney is the man to watch having already bagged 29 goals so far this season. Winchester are currently 8th in the table (W13 D1 L11), a place and a point above Bideford with two games in hand.

Winchester City's last six (LWWLWW)
17/01/17 Sholing 0 Winchester City 1 (Hampshire Cup QF)
14/01/17 Larkhall Athletic 1 Winchester City 2 (League)
11/01/17 Evesham United 3 Winchester City 1 (League)
07/01/17 Winchester City 4 Shortwood United 3 (League)
02/01/17 AFC Totton 1 Winchester City 3 (League)
27/12/16 Winchester City 0 Wimborne Town 1 (League)

Bideford scored a narrow but important win over Slimbridge on Saturday as they retain hope of catching the play-off contenders. In order to turn hope into reality The Robins must start stringing some victories together, something they have struggled to do all season, and picking up wins against teams directly above them such as Winchester is now a must. Bideford are 9th in Division One S&W (W11 D6 L10).

Bideford's last six (WLWLDW)
14/01/17 Bideford 1 Slimbridge 0 (League)
07/01/17 Bishop's Cleeve 3 Bideford 3 (League)
02/01/17 Bideford 2 Taunton Town 4 (League)
26/12/16 Barnstaple Town 0 Bideford 1 (League)
20/12/16 Bideford 1 Winchester City 2 (League)
13/12/16 Bideford 2 Bridgwater Town 0 (League)

Previous meetings
17/12/16 Bideford 1 Winchester City 2 (League)
2003/04 Winchester City 4 Bideford 0 (FA Vase SF L2)
2003/04 Bideford 3 Winchester City 3 (FA Vase SF L1)

Winchester City vs Bideford
Southern League Division One South & West
Saturday 21st January 2017
3:00pm kick off
The City Ground, Winchester

Winchester City FC
The City Ground
Hillier Way
Abbots Barton
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 7SR
Tel: 07768 848905
Website: http://www.winchestercityfc.co.uk
Twitter: @wincityfc