BRACE OF BRACES FOR HARRY AS HIGH PARK OVERCOME OAKFIELD IN RYDE DERBY

Harry Taylor struck 4 times as High Park beat Oakfield in damp and foggy conditions on a heavy Wootton Rec pitch yesterday (21st February).

The Harwoods (Isle of Wight) Division 1 encounter burst into life after just 1 minute. Nathan ‘Sid’ Roberts fired Oakfield ahead with a strike from the edge of the penalty area that found its way past the High Park keeper into an undefended goal (0-1).

High Park responded positively. Experienced striker Scott Saunders brought the hosts level with a composed finish (1-1).

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Momentum shifted when Harry Taylor curled a well-struck free kick from inside the ‘D’ beyond the keeper to make it (2-1). Before the break, his cousin Mark Taylor added a 3rd to give High Park a 2-goal cushion (3-1).

Midway through the half, High Park were forced into a change between the sticks after a heavy challenge left Harry Mitchell unable to continue, with Sol Carson taking over goalkeeping duties.

Half Time: High Park 3-1 Oakfield

Taylor, who normally plays his football for Wessex League side Cowes Sports and is a former Oakfield player, underlined his quality early in the 2nd half with a powerful long-range strike to extend the lead (4-1).

Oakfield showed resilience when Callum Gawn spotted Carson off his line and lobbed him from close to the halfway line to reduce the deficit (4-2).

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Any hopes of a comeback were curtailed as Taylor completed his hat trick with another effort from distance (5-2).

Taylor then crowned a remarkable individual display with his 4th goal, weaving past 3 defenders inside the penalty area before finishing confidently to seal the result (6-2).

In testing conditions, both Island sides competed strongly, but High Park’s attacking quality ultimately proved decisive.

Full Time: High Park 6-2 Oakfield

After the game, High Park manager John Sivier said:

“Over the last few weeks we’ve started to turn it around at HP as we fight to stay in Division 1. It shows our intent with the calibre of players we’ve signed in Harry and Mark, and we have a couple more to come. Our aim is to build a team capable of competing with the top Division 1 sides.”

Oakfield manager Conor Venn said:

“We played well as a team, especially in tough conditions, and our partnership at the back with Char and Robbie was strong. We had a few reserves in yesterday due to illness, but Harry Taylor showed his quality today. He’s proven at Wessex League level and when someone like that gets chances, he punishes you. Four goals makes it very difficult to come back from.”

Defeat leaves Oakfield 2nd-from-bottom in Harwoods Division 1 with 9 points from 15 games, while High Park sit 9th with 14 points from 14 games.

In other games…

Northwood SJ 1-4 West Wight
West Wight have gone 4 points clear at the top of Harwoods Division 1 after defeating Northwood at the Isle of Wight Community Club. The West Wight scorers were Chris Elliott (x2), Josh Daley and Jude Millar. Vinnie Morgan grabbed Northwood’s consolation goal.

Shanklin 1-2 Cowes Sports Reserves
The Yachtsmen have gone second in Harwoods Division 1 by beating Shanklin at the County Ground.  Luca Weeks and Mark Goodwin were on target for the away side with Rory Day scoring the consolation goal for Shanklin

Osborne Coburg 2-1 Ventnor
Bottom club Osborne Coburg recorded only their second win of the season against Ventnor at Victoria Rec thanks to goals from Brad Kenning and Owen Clarke.

In Division 2…

ECS 5-0 Newchurch
Aiden Jones, Andy Ebbs, Mackinly Blacklock, and Gary and Josh Richardson were on the score sheet as East Cowes Sports comfortably beat Newchurch at the GKS Sports Ground.

Newport Reserves 9-1 Seaview
Robbie Shepherd grabbed 5 goals in Port’s win over bottom club Seaview at Seaclose. Ash Gulliver and Josh Gwilliam bagged braces for the home side with Ryleigh Wain also on target. Fin Armstrong got Seaview’s consolation.

W&B REACH CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

Whitecroft & Barton Sports will play Shanklin in this year’s Challenge Cup Final after beating Brading at Sandy Lane.

Caleb Dyer opened the scoring for the Romans on the half hour mark to give Brading a goal advantage going into the beak.

Substitute Joe Rayner equalised for WaB before Jake Keetch put the Romans in front once again. Aidan Sainsbury then put Whitecroft on level terms, with Sam Yelland providing the winning goal with 8 minutes of the game remaining.

Full time: W&B 3-2 Brading Town