Three key players bade their farewells as Winchester clinched fifth place in the Hampshire/Surrey Regional League with a creditable 3-3 draw at Woking, who finished runners-up to Bournemouth.
Dutchman Merijen van Willigen has been appointed coach of Trojans' relegated women's team, defender Charlie Swann is off to university and goal poacher Greg Cox is joining 2002 South Premier League champions City of Portsmouth next term.
But with Winchester's Under-18s in the EHA Boys Cup semi-finals - they host Norwich City at Kings on April 27 - the immediate outlook remains bright for the city club.
The 3-3 draw at Woking again left van Willigen reflecting on what might have been for his youthful side.
"We've had a remarkable tendency all season to drop points against lower-placed opposition, yet play really well against the teams in contention," he mused.
Winchester found themselves under early pressure and were indebted to Craig Falkingham for a superb penalty save which kept their goal intact.
"He's the best in the Regional League as far as I'm concerned," praised Van Willigen.
But two minutes after Falkingham's heroics, Winchester were caught ball-watching and Woking pounced.
Woking stormed forward, forcing numerous short corners - and two more penalty flicks, one of which the agile Falkingham saved.
Neil Barr clawed a goal back from a short-corner but, five minutes after the break, Woking went 3-1 up and appeard on course for victory.
But Winchester stepped up the midfield pressure - Ady Adams, Dan Wagstaff and Alex Bennett being influential - and got back to 3-2 through Kent Langridge.
Visibly shaken by Winchester's resistance, Woking leaked a third, equalising goal with Bennett on target.
Winchester eventually finished eight points behind fourth-placed Trojans, with Bournemouth promoted into South Premier League Division 2 next term.
Among Bournemouth's opponents will be Fareham, whose Premier 1 relegation fate was sealed with an 8-1 trouncing at Bromley.
With Eastcote holding City of Portsmouth 3-3, Fareham are left high and dry at the basement, with only ten points from 21 games.
Their points tally could rise to 13 if the 2-1 scoreline in the previous week's abandoned game with Chichester is allowed to stand.
Eight-man Chichester, crippled by yellow cards, declined to play the last five minutes of the game with an outfielder in goal. They have already been deducted three points and may yet be ordered to replay the game, though it would be purely academic bearing in mind Fareham's fate having already been sealed.
Southampton finished third in Hampshire League, Division 1 after losing their final match 5-4 to relegated Petersfield.
They finished nine points clear of Southampton University, while newly-promoted Salisbury find themselves in a play-off situation.
Southampton girls ended their South Women's League, Division 1 campaign on a triumphant note, whipping West Witney 4-1.
Southampton soaked up the early pressure to take the lead when man-of-the-match Sophie Mitchell outran the Oxfordshire defence to set up Naomi Dunn.
Witney's equalising celebrations were cut short when Mitchell clipped home Ali Omell's free hit to give Southampton a 2-1 interval lead.
Jo Edmondson scored the third after a neat set up by debutant Kathrine Raw, while sprightly Sue Crowley created havoc in the opposing ranks to provide a Southampton fourth for Bex Sharr.
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