2 Wessex League and 2 Isle of Wight Division 1 teams will be locking horns on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings with places in the semi-finals of the Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup at stake.
Wessex Premier outfit Cowes Sports host Isle of Wight Binstead & COB side at Westwood Park tonight (Tuesday).
Will this prove to be a potential ‘banana skin’ game for the Yachtsmen?
Cowes Sports assistant manager Andy Brown says:
“We are all at Cowes looking forward to playing in the Gold Cup. It’s a nice distraction from Wessex Premier. With majority of lads and staff, who have not had the opportunity to win this prestigious trophy, we will be giving it our all for everyone at the club.
“We also certainly won’t be taking anything for granted. We respect the lads at Binstead and Conor. Binstead will no doubt have a mixture of players with experience, including some who have lifted the trophy and those wanting to do so, plus looking to take a big scalp in process.”
Kick-off at Westwood Park is at 19:30.
A youthful East Cowes Vics travel to face an experienced West Wight side at Camp Road tomorrow (Wednesday) with kick off at 19:30.
Does the Isle of Wight league side have a realistic chance to take the scalp of their Wessex League opponents?
West Wight’s Ash Brett says:
“We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a very tough game against a confident Vics side who are on a great run at the moment under Alex. Their turnaround has not come as a surprise to any of us who have been coached by him previously.
“However, we’re on a good run of wins ourselves, and we want to keep the momentum going now. We’re playing against a team in a higher division, who no one expects us to beat, so the pressure is all on them and it’s a bit of a free hit for us.
“We’re really looking forward to the game & giving a good account of ourselves.”
Vics manager Alex Smith says:
“Wednesday will bring a very different, but equally challenging, match. We have a lot of work still to do in the league to get to safety, but the Gold Cup is of course a competition I’ve always had in the back of my mind.
“It’ll be a real test for us to play another side where we’re expected to be the team on the front foot. You only have to look at our performances v Fleet, Amesbury, Whitchurch and Fawley to know that’s where we’re putting the pressure on ourselves to improve.
“We know we can scrap it out with sides more ably resourced than us and make things difficult for them, but we’re yet to prove that we can comfortably put away teams more similar in level to ourselves.
“We’ll be looking to work towards rectifying that on Wednesday evening against a side who will turn up with plenty of ‘know how’. In particular, Ash, Bricky, Charlie Smeeton and the Dye brothers have played at a good level for a long time and we’ll be ready to fight for everything.”
When asked whether Vics can lift the Gold Cup for the 1st time since 1989, Smith said:
“Of course, we can win it, but we’re well aware we’re third favourites and it’ll take three excellent performances to do so.”
Alex also spoke to Island Echo about his side’s remarkable 1-0 victory against 1 of the favourites for the Division 1 title, Petersfield Town, on Saturday.
Alex told Island Echo:
“Petersfield were a good side, their movement was disruptive; their forward players were flexible and interchanged intelligently. We used the 1st 5 minutes of the game to assess their structure and respond accordingly. It meant the work rate of Voller and Charlie, in particular had to be outstanding and they rose to the occasion, as did the entire squad.
“Fortunately, on this occasion, we got it right. Of course, we conceded some chances – which were dealt with excellently by Alex. But we looked a threat on the counter too, having two big penalty appeals turned down, as well as carving out some chances of our own.
“Harry Taylor has been terrific for us on all set pieces since he signed and he showed his usual composure dispatching a high-pressure penalty.”
In Wessex Division 1, leaders Newport face 11th-placed Totton & Eling tonight (Tuesday).
The Port are currently on a run of 4 successive victories and are unbeaten in 8.
The County Town club were held 1-1 by Totton & Eling in the reverse fixture at Miller Park in February.
Newport currently lead the Division 1 table, 1 point above 2nd-placed New Milton Town and 2 points above 3rd-placed Andover New Street.
The Port’s Andover rivals are also in action on Tuesday, away to 6th-placed Downton.
Kick off at Smallbrook is also at 19:30.
Wessex Division 1 table (top half) below:
