WINCHESTER City co-boss Danny Robinson could not have picked two tastier games to come home to after a sunshine break in Turkey.
Having celebrated his return with a 2-1 win at Andover on Tuesday, he can’t wait to get stuck into tomorrow’s visit of Sydenhams Premier title rivals Blackfield & Langley.
The stage is set for a cracker between two recent Wessex title winners who are determined to reclaim the crown.
Blackfield, champions two seasons ago, look the real deal again after an unsettled 2013/14 campaign on and off the pitch.
Now under the wily charge of John Robson – a former Winchester manager – they sit unbeaten in third spot with four wins and three draws from seven league outings.
City, overwhelmingly tipped as title favourites in a pre-season poll of managers, are five points adrift of the Watersiders in eighth, but have two games in hand as they bid for their fourth Wessex title.
Admitting he “can’t wait” for tomorrow, Robinson said: “It should be a good game with two contrasting styles. Blackfield are big, physical and direct.”
City fans will know all about Blackfield’s Jamie Musselwhite who returned from a fortnight out with ankle trouble to strike twice in last weekend’s 4-0 FA Cup romp over Highworth.
The towering targetman memorably scored 35 goals in 42 starts to spearhead City’s 2005/06 title charge and, almost a decade on, is still described as “immense” by B&L boss Robson.
Both clubs have endured their fair share of injuries in the opening month with Joe Byrne, Kane Daysh, Jack Satterley and Nick Taylor all sidelined for Blackfield.
City don’t expect to see either left-back Danny King or right-back Dan Thompson in the foreseeable future, while summer signing Mark James is at least six weeks away from his Winchester debut.
Defender James, who captained Wantage to the 2013/14 Hellenic title, tried some light jogging after seemingly getting over a hamstring problem, only to feel it pull again. He has now had an injection.
Winchester midfielder Adam ‘Taz’ Roberts, briefly a Blackfield player last season, has also been sidelined of late with ankle trouble.
Robinson said: “It’s a shame because Taz started the season really well. He’s getting back into straight-line running and we’ll assess him in training.”
Striker Sam Wilson, scorer of City’s opener at Andover, was sporting a small cast on his arm after bending his thumb back when catching a ball. l Blackfield progressed to the Hampshire FA Senior Cup second round on Wednesday with a highly entertaining 5-3 win at Brockenhurst.
Mark Barker netted all three for the Badgers, but his hat-trick was eclipsed by Danilo Cadete (2), Ekow Elliott (2) and Danny Young, setting Blackfield up with a home Waterside derby against Fawley on September 16.
B&L will host Sherborne Town in the FA Cup first qualifying round next Saturday after the Western Premier outfit sank Alresford 4-0 in a midweek replay.
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