Report | City battle out winning return

City made a return to winning ways as we battled out a 3-2 victory over Havant & Waterlooville in a game that started in bright November sunshine.

Our first sight of goal saw Dylan Jones make room for an effort within the opening five minutes that went into the side-netting before a foul on Elis Watts presented us with a free-kick in a promising position that was struck into the defensive wall.

An intelligent ball from Watts set King Baidoo off in chase but an offside flag halted his progress as he looked to burst into the area.

It was a stop-start opening with a number of niggling fouls from the visitors disrupting the flow as we looked to start with pace and energy.

With 12 minutes on the clock, Harry Pinchard fed Marcus Day whose strike from distance went just over the crossbar.

A neat move in our next foray forward ended with Watts going close before the deadlock was broken just on the quarter-hour mark when Baidoo got in a low drive cross for Kane Simpson who made no mistake on his home debut.

The visitors looked to threaten straight away from a corner but we were able to block a strike from Harvey Laidlow after Jared Thompson was unable to claim the flag-kick through a crowd of players.

Some alert play from Watts saw him pick up a loose ball and drive towards the by-line where his low cross into the danger zone just evaded Simpson.

A good chance fell to Leon Maloney who dragged wide at the far post after a cross found its way over to him. It was the visitors’ best chance of the game so far.

Another corner from the visitors caused concern midway through the opening period as George Milner-Smith went close with a towering header.

The tempo of the game calmed down somewhat as the first half went on. Baidoo was looking to make things happen as he put in a couple of teasing crosses before Watts got in a strike that went just over.

The visitors were level just past the half-hour mark as Ethan Giwa-McNeil fired home with a powerful low strike. It was a goal out of nothing to restore parity.

As the interval approached we were able to regain the lead as O’Regan found space before firing home after being threaded through by Watts.

Shortly after the goal, we went close to adding another when Day was denied by a smart save from Noah Cooper, who was making his debut between the posts for the visitors.

There was still time for a third goal to arrive in stoppage time at the end of the opening period when Pinchard teed up Baidoo who slotted home with a sweet strike beyond the reach of the ‘keeper as we went in at the break 3-1 to the good.

The visitors reduced the arrears within five minutes of the restart as Olly Pendlebury fired home with power from outside the area.

As we looked for an instant response, Day put an effort onto the roof of the net from the edge of the box, then a free-kick out wide for a foul on Harry Emmett was cleared at the near post.

Baidoo was forced off through injury on the hour as Sion Spence took his place and straight away he was involved in a neat move that ended with Day placing his effort inches wide.

The pendulum started to swing back into the favour of the visitors as they forced a couple of corners in quick succession and asked a few questions as they searched for a leveller.

City made a change with Simpson making way for Joe Hanks midway through the half as we looked to regain control of proceedings amidst some pressure from our opponents.

A free-kick for the visitors, delivered deep into the area, saw Ed Williams on hand to clear a flick-on for a corner which ended with Milner-Smith seeing his attempt land well wide of the target.

Quick feet from Watts saw him make room for a strike from the angle that was saved by the ‘keeper. At the other end, some trickery from Ryan Seager saw him make progress towards goal as Thompson was equal to his mega drive that was low and on target.

A stoppage time free-kick in a promising position for our opponents was straight down the throat of Thompson from Pendlebury.

City didn’t have things all of our own way here as we had to battle out the three points to make a return to winning ways.

CITY | J. Thompson, Jones, Roberts (Leadbitter 90+2), O’Regan, Williams, Watts, Day (Obieri 90+2), Pinchard, Emmett, Baidoo (Spence 61), Simpson (Hanks 68). Sub not used: Phillips.

Goal(s): Simpson (15), O’Regan (43), Baidoo (45+2)

Attendance: 1,089