Match Preview

It’s the final day of the league season and we welcome Winchester City to the Sports Ground in the Southern League West Division.

Bideford vs Winchester City
Evo-Stik League South – West Division
Saturday 28th April 2018
3:00pm kick off
Sports Ground, Bideford

A Brief History of Winchester City FC
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. In 2016/17, Winchester finished in 14th position.

Winchester City FC
Website: http://www.winchestercityfc.co.uk
Twitter: @wincityfc

Form Guide
Winchester have had a decent season and were in contention for a playoff spot up until a couple of weeks ago. Despite picking up a couple of good points at Salisbury and Swindon Supermarine, the defeats at Totton and at home to Taunton were the results that ended their playoff hopes for another season. In their last two outings Winchester have beaten North Leigh and last time out lost to another playoff candidate Cirencester Town. Winchester are 11th in the West Division (W17 D10 L14).

Winchester City’s last six (DLDLWL)
24/04/18 Winchester City 1 Cirencester Town 2 (League)
21/04/18 Winchester City 2 North Leigh 0 (League)
17/04/18 Winchester City 0 Taunton Town 5 (League)
14/04/18 Swindon Supermarine 1 Winchester City 1 (League)
12/04/18 AFC Totton 1 Winchester City 0 (League)
10/04/18 Salisbury 2 Winchester City 2 (League)

Bideford are still in with an outside chance of the playoffs thanks to a dramatic win at Cinderford Town on Thursday night. After back to back defeats at Slimbridge and Salisbury, The Robins looked to be heading for a third successive defeat at Cinderford until injury time goals from Ben Palmer and Dan Western gave Bideford a quite incredible victory. Saturday’s game against Winchester will be Bideford’s fourth in a week and another they need to win to stand any chance of finishing in the playoff positions. Bideford are 9th in the West Division (W20 D9 L12).

Bideford's last six (WWWWLL)
24/04/18 Salisbury 1 Bideford 0 (League)
21/04/18 Slimbridge 4 Bideford 3 (League)
19/04/18 Bideford 2 North Leigh 0 (League)
16/04/18 Kidlington 1 Bideford 2 (League)
14/04/18 Bideford 2 Paulton Rovers 1 (League)
07/04/18 Larkhall Athletic 0 Bideford 1 (League)

Previous meetings
25/11/18 Winchester City 2 Bideford 3 (SL Div 1 West)
27/02/17 Winchester City 0 Bideford 0 (SL Div 1 S&W)
17/12/16 Bideford 1 Winchester City 2 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2003/04 Winchester City 4 Bideford 0 (FA Vase SF L2)
2003/04 Bideford 3 Winchester City 3 (FA Vase SF L1)