27 Isle of Wight football teams – 10 in the Hampshire Trophy and 17 in the Hampshire Vase – will compete in cup competitions this afternoon (Saturday).
In the Hampshire Vase…
In Harwoods Division 1, 5 teams – Vectis, Cowes Sports Reserves, Bembridge, W&B and West Wight – have been given a home draw.
4 sides – Brading Town, Osborne Coburg, Ventnor and Shanklin – travel to North Island.
Binstead make the short trip to Cowes Enterprise College to face Vectis in the only all-Island Vase fixture.
In the Hampshire Trophy…
Only 5 Harwoods Division 2 and Combination sides have been drawn at home: Ryde Saints Reserves, Osborne Coburg A, Bembridge Reserves, Oakfield Reserves and Niton Reserves.
High Park make the short journey to Steyne Park (where they played last season) to take on Bembridge Reserves, and Osborne Coburg Reserves travel to Ryde to face Oakfield Reserves at Slade Road.
10 teams make the trip to the mainland: Shanklin Reserves, ECS, Sandown & Lake, Ventnor A, Sandown & Lake A, Ventnor Reserves, Newport Reserves, Northwood FC Reserves, Osborne Coburg Reserves and Oakfield.
In the Wessex Leagues…
In the only Wessex League fixture on the Isle of Wight today, Newport IW face Aldermaston at Beatrice Avenue in Division 1.
8th-placed Port are 6 games unbeaten in the league and currently lie 5 points off the playoff positions; Aldermaston are 14th and have gone down to 2 successive defeats.
Can Newport make up ground on the teams above?
Co-manager Joe Butcher says:
“I don’t think it’ll be an easy game, they’ve had some good results this season, and I’ve watched a bit of footage. They look a big physical side, so I’m sure it’ll be a tough game.
“We need to start turning some of these draws into 3 pts and that’ll be our aim Saturday.”
Also in Wessex Division 1, 3rd-placed East Cowes Victoria travel to North Hampshire to take on 6th-placed Cove.
The Victorians’ long 11-game unbeaten run came crashing to a halt last Saturday when they were beaten 2-4 by Lymington Town. However, 3 points today may see Vics return to top spot in the table,
Manager Alex Smith says of the defeat and his team’s prospects:
“It was a disappointing afternoon that led to our first loss in 9 league games. We’ll be doing everything we can to make sure we bounce back away at Cove.
I have immense faith in my team to go and win every game. Of course I’m not naive and understand the challenges presented to us. Cove are a strong side with a couple of good individuals – it’s a tough place to go.
They may well have conceded more goals than they’d like, but they’ve also scored more goals than us. It’s our responsibility to control the tempo of the game and make it look the way we want it to look.
“There’s a long way to go this season and there’ll be more bumps in the road, as well as more successes too. What’s most important is we don’t get too high on the highs or too low on the lows.”
In the Wessex Premier, 13th-placed Cowes Sports travel across the Solent to face 10th-placed Millbrook.
The Yachtsmen are currently on an impressive 5-game unbeaten run; the Dockers are 4 games unbeaten in the league.
Can Cowes extend their unbeaten record to 6 games?
Manager Ian Potts says:
“Millbrook got promoted last season and have carried on their form this season in the Wessex Premier; they are a quality team.
“We go there on the back of a great performance and brilliant result last week, but we never under estimate any team and have a game plan and are looking to carry on our good form.”
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 2nd November
Wessex Premier
Millbrook v Cowes Sports
Division 1
Cove v East Cowes Victoria
Newport IW v Aldermaston
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 2nd November
Hampshire FA Trophy 2nd round
Vectis v Binstead & COB
Millbrook Dev v Brading Town
Liphook United v Osborne Coburg
Cowes Sports Reserves v Wey Valley
Bembridge v Brockenhurst Development
W & B Sports v Upham
New Milton Development v Ventnor
West Wight v Whiteley Wanderers
Locks Heath v Shanklin
Hampshire FA Vase 2nd round
Ryde Saints Reserves v Crofton Saints Development
Cosham Sports Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
Bournemouth Electric v East Cowes Sports
Osborne Coburg A v Sandown & Lake
Bembridge Reserves v High Park
A. W. Jeffreys v Ventnor A
New Forest Athletic v Sandown & Lake A
Solent Sports v Ventnor Reserves
Chamberlyne Athletic v Newport Reserves
Emsworth Town v Northwood SJ Reserves
Oakfield Reserves v Osborne Coburg Reserves
Niton Reserves v Compton OFF
Sotton Athletic v Brading Town Reserves
Clanfield v Oakfield
Harwoods Division 2
Seaview v Ryde Saints
Combination 1
Binstead & COB Reserves v West Wight Reserves
Sandown & Lake Reserves v W & B Sports Reserves
Combination 2
Newchurch Reserves v West Wight A
Vectis Reserves v Bembridge A
