Thunder, Goals, and Grit: Winchester Edge Out in Thrilling Encounter with Southampton Strollers

Thursday 31st July 2025 – The City Ground, Winchester

Winchester Walking Football Club welcomed local rivals Southampton Strollers to The City Ground – the proud home of Winchester City FC – for a friendly fixture that delivered drama, quality, and a downpour to remember.

In a fiercely contested match played in torrential rain and under rumbling thunderclouds, both sides showcased the spirit and skill of walking football. Despite a valiant effort from the home side, it was the visitors who edged the result, claiming a narrow 7–6 victory.

Southampton started strongly, racing into a two-goal lead within minutes. But Winchester showed resilience and composure to claw their way back, drawing level at 3–3 thanks to some inspired attacking play. As the weather worsened, the goals kept flowing in a thrilling end-to-end finale that saw the Strollers just manage to hold off a spirited late push from the hosts.

There were plenty of positives for Winchester to take from the match. Fiona Wilsher capped off a slick passing move with a composed finish, while Chris Haynes made an impressive competitive debut, bagging a brace. Mark Wilkinson continued his fine form with a well-taken hat-trick, adding to the four goals he scored earlier in the month.

Both sides fielded large squads and made full use of rolling substitutions, but the quality on display never dipped. Credit to both teams for maintaining such high standards in testing weather conditions.

A great advertisement for the sport and a fine display of camaraderie, competition, and commitment. On another day, the result could easily have gone the other way.