WHITCHURCH were the guests as football returned to the McEnhill Stadium with Salisbury hosting their first home fixture in the Sydenhams Football League (Wessex).

Over 800 people, the largest Wessex League gate for several years, turned up hoping to see the home side improve on their goalless start to the season, but suffered disappointment as the visitors went home with all three points.

In what was thought to be the first competitive league fixture between the two clubs, the home side looked set to start on a winning note as they totally dominated the opening half hour.

Their wide men – Danny Young and Daniel Demkiv – were afforded too much space but overhit too many crosses and some, at times, desperate defending dealt with those that found their way into the area.

Despite the pressure, the home side carved out few clear cut chances and when they did go ahead seven minutes from the break it was a rather scruffy effort – the ball being forced home at close range by Kane O’Keefe from a right wing corner.

This could have been the signal for the floodgates to open but seconds before half-time Danny Phillips wriggled his way into the area to fire low past Barfoot to bring the score level.

On the re-start the visitors gained confidence from their goal and began to take the game to their hosts, though the latter were still enjoying more of the possession.

Salisbury were made to pay for their profligacy 20 minutes from time when the defence failed to clear a corner and Phillips rifled home from the edge of the area.

Phillips will take the plaudits, but the real heroes were the back four, well marshalled by Scott Hassall.

This was a welcome tonic for Whitchurch following the disappointing home defeat by Lymington Town three days earlier in a poor game marred by the early dismissal of the home side’s Jack McCarthy and visiting keeper Stewart Williamson.

Neither side posed too much threat over the 90 minutes but two defensive first-half errors proved too much for the home side to overcome, losing 2-0.