THE FA Vase jinx struck again for Winchester City yesterday when they were handed yet another away draw at Norfolk side Wroxham in the last 16 on February 7.

Despite being one of the competition's most successful sides over the last two seasons, the Wessex League title chasers still haven't had the chance to stage a showpiece tie at home.

"It's a conspiracy!" quipped director of football David Malone, trying hard to look on the brighter side of City's atrocious bad luck when it comes to landing home draws in the major competitions.

Last season they made the Vase quarter-finals the hard way, playing four of their six games away before exiting 1-0 at Leicestershire outfit Oadby Town.

It's been much the same story this season. After opening the campaign at home to Dorset outfit Hamworthy, they went back on the road to Sussex side Whitehawk and on Saturday overcame one of the toughest tests of the round by beating Mossley 2-1 in Greater Manchester.

Malone sighed: "On top of that, we played all this season's FA Cup ties away - against Banstead, Met Police and Chippenham - and we were even drawn away to Farnborough in the Hampshire Senior Cup. That's some record!

"In terms of the games themselves, I think we perhaps do better away from home because sides have to come at you a bit. We had enough chances at Mossley on Saturday to win the game comfortably and we took around 100 supporters who made a fair bit of noise.

"But it's a pity for the fans who can't travel and the club itself that we've been drawn away again. All the home ties we've had in the Vase have been in the earlier rounds, so we've never had the chance to put on what you'd call a big game."

Eastern Counties Premier champions Wroxham booked their place in the last 16 with a 3-1 win at Mossley's North West Division 1 rivals Nantwich Town.

They are modestly priced at 16/1 by bookmakers bet365, but Saturday's result has convinced City - ranked 7/2 second favourites behind AFC Sudbury - that they will have a titanic battle on their hands.

Malone said: "Our manager Neil Hards watched Mossley lose at Nantwich the Saturday before last and said he'd rather be playing Mossley than Nantwich any day. The fact that Wroxham have now beaten Nantwich means they're definitely a half decent side."

The downside of the Mossley win was losing influential left wing-back Matthew Bicknell at half-time with a potentially serious knee problem, ruling him out of tonight's Russell Cotes Cup third-round tie at Brockenhurst.

FIFTH-ROUND DRAW: (Matches to be played on Saturday, February 7)

Congleton Town v AFC Sudbury, Studley v Gosport Borough, Colne v Bitton, Andover v Leighton Town, Chertsey Town v Bideford, Wroxham v Winchester City, Eastwood Town v Stone Dominoes, Keynsham Town v Cray Wanderers.