Whitehawk have learnt the harsh lesson that money talks in football.

Ian Chapman's side did not do too much wrong in this FA Vase third round tie but the firepower, or should that be spending power, of Winchester proved too much for them.

The Hampshire side have a reputation of being the big-spenders of the Wessex League.

Their monthly wage bill is reportedly over £10,000 with a number of players being paid weekly sums in excess of £200 thanks to a wealthy local businessman.

The money has enabled them to attract top non-league players as well as former professionals.

Former Southampton and Fulham defender Mark Blake and Matt Bicknell, once of Reading and Crystal Palace, were both playing, while ex-Bournemouth midfielder Danny Smith missed the game through injury.

Winchester seem to be getting value for money as they sit second in their league having lost just once this season.

They reached the Vase quarter-finals last season and have realistic hopes of doing even better this year.

The £1,200 prize money Winchester received for reaching the fourth round would have been just a drop in the ocean.

The situation could not be more different at Whitehawk.

Chapman could only laugh when he heard the visitors' monthly wage-bill and admitted: "For a club like us that kind of figure is most of a year's money, expenses-wise."

It was not just the money Whitehawk could not compete with.

Winchester were dominant all over the pitch and could have won more comfortably than the scoreline suggests.

The fact they did not was down to a mixture of bad finishing and some brave defending by the home side.

Chapman was refreshingly honest about the game.

He said: "They were too good for us, it was as simple as that. We had a go but they were just far superior all over the park. It was good to show my players that when you step up a standard the players are bigger and they are better. They didn't disgrace us, we were just not good enough."

What disappointed Chapman was the way his side let the visitors score. They went ahead on 24 minutes, after controlling most of the opening stages, when Whitehawk lost possession in midfield. The ball came to winger Liam Green who did well down the left wing before firing in a low cross which was turned in at close range by Ian Mancey.

Winchester had to wait until the 70th minute to get their second which came through an unfortunate own goal. Liam Green swung in a free kick which was headed across goal by Mancey and Peter Birch inadvertently bundled the ball in under pressure from Gary Green.

The visitors saved their best until ten minutes from time. Mancey picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and hit a shot which rocketed into the top corner, leaving Matt Ades with no chance.

Chapman said: "When you play a side who are better than you, you can't afford to give them goals and that's what we did.

"We gave the ball away cheaply for the first goal and they punished us and the second was an own goal.

"Apart from those mistakes I thought we defended well and we couldn't do anything about their third goal."

Whitehawk got their consolation in the second minute of injury time when Simon Rowland, who had been feeling the effects of an ankle injury throughout the game, left visiting keeper Joe McCormack motionless with a shot from the edge of the area.

The goal added some respectability for Whitehawk who can now concentrate on trying to find some consistency in the league this season.

They are mid-table but have only lost once in their last six league games.

The Hawks finished as runners-up during the last campaign following a good end of season run and Chapman is hoping his side can do that again this year starting with leaders Chichester tomorrow night.

He said: "We knew we were never going to win the Vase and we are pleased to have got as far as we did, but now it is back to the league.

"We need to get our league form back on track and we have picked up recently.

"Hopefully that will continue against Chichester and maybe the experience of playing a side like Winchester will help us."

Whitehawk: Ades, Venton (Lambert 73), T. Cooper, Chapman (S. Cooper 73), Birch, Phillips, Packham (Watts 73), S. Rowland, O. Rowland, Townsend, Pattenden. Subs not used: Levitt, Rand.

Winchester: McCormack, Rogers, Bicknell, Lang, Goss, Blake, Webber, G. Green, Mancey (Beck 85), Forbes (Dyke 73), L. Green. Subs not used: Redwood, Dean, Mitchell.

Referee: S. Briffitt (Croydon). Attendance: 162.