Winchester City boss John Robson last night lost his first game since taking charge of the Abbots Barton outfit and admitted: "It's a horrible feeling."

Robson had helped the ambitious Hampshire League side win 39 and draw two of their previous 41 league and cup games.

But last night Winchester suffered their first defeat since March in a thrilling 2-1 Hampshire Senior Cup quarter-final tie at Dr Martens outfit Bashley.

Robson said: "The feeling of knowing we've lost is one we don't want to get used to."

Former Newport IOW striker Danny Gibbons broke Winchester hearts with a towering header from a disputed corner four minutes from the end of extra time

But, for 40 minutes, Winchester were on course to pulling off a shock win in the New Forest.

With just 11 minutes gone, Ian Mancey gave the visitors the lead from 40 yards after a mix up between Bash 'keeper David Elm and Andy Darnton.

Full back Darnton's weak back pass only reached as far as Mancey, who sidefooted a first-time strike into the empty net.

Winchester had chances to double their lead but Andy Forbes had a rare off-night in front of goal and Bashley's 18-year-old striker, Richard Gillespie, made the visitors' pay for a mistake of their own on 80 minutes.

Gillespie, on as a 63rd-minute substitute, slammed home a loose ball from 15 yards after a mix-up involving Steve Beeks, Stuart Lang and Dave Goss, who was injured in the process.

Once Bashley were on level terms, you sensed that they would go on and win it and Gibbons gave a warning of what was to come by heading over in injury time.

He made no mistake when, after 116 minutes of a pulsating cup tie, he rose above the Winchester defence to nod the winner past former Bashley 'keeper Darren Crowfoot.

But Robson was adamant that Bashley should never have been awarded the corner from which Gibbons scored.

Winchester defender Beeks was adjudged to have touched the ball as he tried to shepherd it out of play but Robson said: "It looked like Beeksy had been fouled to me.

"We couldn't believe it when they were then given the corner but, despite the defeat, there were still plenty of positives to come out of the game for us.

"We're pleased with the way we performed and we did superbly to create so many chances.

"If we had managed to convert one or two of them, it would have been game over."

Forbes, playing his first game following an ankle injury, had to limp off during extra time with a hamstring strain but he failed to score from two one-on-ones that may have settled the tie in normal minutes.

He put the first just wide and hit another straight at Elm - but Bashley dominated in extra time.

Forbes and substitute Mark Jackson had half-chances but Bashley striker Paul Sales was looking increasingly more threatening before Gibbons settled the tie in front of a 300-plus crowd at Bashley Road.

Gibbons's fourth goal in three games wasn't the only bad news for Winchester.

Captain Danny Smith is out for a month after being substituted at half-time with a hamstring strain.

At least Bashley boss Barry Blankley, whose side play two divisions above the Hampshire League leaders, had words of encouragement.

"I've seen a lot of teams worse than Winchester in our league this season," he said.

TEAMS

Bashley: Elm, Darnton, Lisk, Robson (Mark Jones, 43), Mat Jones, Cook, Gee (Gillespie 63), Davis, Gibbons, Sales, Anstey.

Booked: Davis, Anstey, Mark Jones.

Winchester City: Crowfoot, Ahmet, Bicknell, Smith (Brewster 45), Goss (Taylor 82), Lang, Webber, Green, Mancey (Jackson 78), Forbes, Beeks.

Bookings: Lang, Webber, Taylor.