10 Isle of Wight sides will be in action in Hampshire cup competitions this afternoon (Saturday): 2 in the Hampshire Trophy and 8 in the Hampshire Vase.
In the Hampshire Trophy, Whitecroft & Barton Sports travel to Dorset to face Bournemouth Electric while West Wight host New Milton Development at Camp Road.
In the Hampshire Vase, 4 Isle of Wight teams face North Island opposition on home turf: Pan Community, Oakfield, Niton Community and Ryde Saints; 2 Island sides travel to North Island: Brading Town Reserves and West Wight Reserves. There is 1 all-Island tie: Newport Reserves v Oakfield Reserves.
In the Wessex Leagues…
In the only Wessex League fixture to be played this afternoon, 6th-placed Newport face 3rd-placed Alresford Town at Beatrice Avenue.
The Port are still on an unbeaten run of 11 games in Wessex Division 1. A win may elevate the County Town club to the playoff positions if East Cowes Vics fail to get 3 points at Fleetlands.
Can Newport go 13 games unbeaten?
Co-manager Joe Butcher says:
“Alresford have been going well lately, but we almost beat them away. It will be a hard game against a good side. I think we’ve shown we can compete against anyone in the league, and we’re obviously both on good runs, so it should be a good test.
“We have got captain Macca Watterson and Mikey Thompsett missing through suspension, so we will probably have to tweak the formation a bit.
“The boys are itching to put Saturday right. Last week felt like 2 missed opportunities, but equally we got 2 points against 2 good teams and remained unbeaten.”
Also in Wessex Division 1, 5th-placed East Cowes Victoria travel to Powder Monkey Park (near Gosport) to face 7th-placed Fleetlands.
In the Wessex Premier, the Yachtsmen travel to Portsea Island to face bottom club United Services Portsmouth.
Co-manager Ian Potts says of his team’s prospects at HMS Temeraire:
“US Portsmouth are a very organised outfit. They don’t concede many goals, and this will be a very tough game.
“We will need to improve on our recent form. The lads have been working hard in training this week and we will be giving our all to get some much needed points.”
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 14th December
Wessex Premier
United Services Portsmouth v Cowes Sports
Division 1
Fleetlands v East Cowes Victoria
Newport IW v Alresford Town
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 14th December
Hampshire Trophy
Bournemouth Electric v W&B Sports
West Wight v New Milton Development
Hampshire Vase
Pan Community v Hampton (13:30)
Newport Reserves v Oakfield Reserves
Oakfield v Emsworth
Hayling United Development v Brading Town Reserves
North Warnborough v West Wight Reserves
Niton Community Reserves v Yateley United B
Ryde Saints v Cobham Sports
Challenge Cup Semi Final
Ventnor v Shanklin
Memorial Cup
Cowes Sports Reserves v Sandown & Lake
Osborne Coburg v Brading Town
Division 1
Northwood SJ v Vectis
Division 2
High Park v Newchurch
Combination 1
Bembridge Reserves v Sandown & Lake Reserves
Binstead & COB Reserves v High Park Reserves
East Cowes Sports Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
Combination 2
Newchurch Reserves v Bembridge A
Sandown & Lake A v Vectis Reserves
Ventnor A v High Park A
Osborne Coburg A v Ryde Saints Reserves (at Northwood Recreation Ground)
