WHITCHURCH United’s unbeaten start to the Sydenhams Wessex season ground to a halt at pre-season title favourites Winchester City this afternoon.

The surprise League leaders competed well to go in 1-1 at half-time, but had Jamie Mansell sent off in a a niggly second half as Winchester emerged 3-1 winners at the Denplan City Ground.

City suffered a pre-match blow when top scorer Warren Bently pulled-up in the warm-up with a groin niggle. Geoff Dunn stepped in to partner Zach Glasspool up front.

The game got off to an eventful start with Winchester taking a fourth minute lead via the penalty spot.

Dom Cope got a slightly heavy touch on Chris Mason’s crossfield pass as he roamed free on the left of the area. United keeper Brad Snelling dashed out and slid in, taking Cope’s legs from under him, leaving referee Lewis Sandoe no option but to point to the spot.

Snelling was cautioned and, though he got a hand to the penalty, the strike by GLASSPOOL carried enough force to take it in.

The referee brandished another yellow card on ten minutes, This time it was Snelling’s opposite number Jason Collins who went in the book after he had raced out of his area and collided with Danny Phillips as the pair closed in on a long ball forward by Whitchurch.

Jamie went close to equalising, hurling the free-kick marginally over the bar and onto the top netting.

With Whitchurch scrapping for everything in a somewhat frantic game, Winchester had to fight for the right to play their football.

Promising approach play by Dunn and Mason found Glasspool in the area, but United had bodies back to clear.

On 16 minutes Whitchurch’s Ryan Lambert spotted Collins off his line and wasn’t a million miles away with an audacious effort from inside his own half.

With Winchester unsettled by the visitor’s direct, non-nonsense approach, Collins had to block at Jack McCarthy’s feet after Mansell had played his team mate in.

Having had to work hard to match their visitors industry, City gifted Whitchurch a 34th minute equaliser.

A loose back pass by Mike McEnery on City’s right fell straight into the path of ex-Romsey Town striker PHILLIPS who gleefully tucked away surely his easiest chance of the season.

Dunn fired just over and Glasspool was crowded out in a decent shooting position as City tried to atone for their generosity, but the half ended 1-1.

Just as in the first-half Winchester struck early to reclaim the lead.

It was a route one effort with Collins’ long kick knocked on for DUNN who showed great compsure to knock the ball past Snelling.

A tetchy game showed signs of boiling over on 52 minutes when McCarthy reacted angrily to a challenge by City skipper Stuart Green, resulting in both players being booked.

Three minutes later Scott Hassell went in heavily on Green who required treatment and the Whitchurch man was yellow carded.

With the tackles continuing to fly in, McEnery thought he had put clear daylight between the teams when, after several stabs he managed to poke the ball past Snelling and into the net, but the referee blew for a foul on the keeper.

Winchester tried to settle down and play their football, Glasspool steered a shot just wide at full stretch from Nathan’s assist.

Snelling then had to be alert to win an aerial challenge with Glasspool for Luke Dempsy’s long punt forward, Dunn picked up the loose b all and played in Glasspool who thumped a shot against Pearson.

Ben Stanbrook then created panic in the Whitchurch defence from Glasspool’s low free-kick and, with tension building, it was only a matter of time before things boiled over again.

It was Mansell to pay the price, receiving a red card for kicking out a Mason and reducing the visitors to ten men.

With Winchester now imposing themselves on the contest they strung together their best move of the afternoon with Glasspool twice extending passes with Dunn whose right-wing delivery was fired over by Mason from close range.

Snelling was then called into action again to block out Glasspool and the rebound went wide off City substitute Chris Manning.

Winchester made it 3-1 a minute into stoppage time with a goal set up by Dunn.

Ironically the former Eastleigh and Lymington youngster had been due to go off a couple of minutes earlier, his replacement Adam Robert had the wrong number shirt on.

It worked in the home side’s favour when Dunn squared for GLASSPOOL to make the point safe.

Whitchurch kept going to the bitter end with Hassell smashing a powerful shot wide after a handball shout had gone unheard and Josh Harfield sending a free-kick just over.