Cowes Sports veteran John Mckie bagged 2 goals as his side came from 1-0 down to win 2-1 away at Rayners Lane and progress into the next round of the FA Vase.
The Island’s best ranked side travelled up to the London Borough of Harrow to take on Rayners Lane who sat 1 league below Cowes in the league pyramid.
Cheered on by their travelling fans who had made the journey up to London with them, Cowes started well testing the Rayners keeper on multiple occasions in the first half-an-hour or so.
On the 30-minute mark, Cowes conceded the 1st goal of the game as the London side took a surprise lead.
Cowes had a great chance to equalise on 62 minutes, great work from Jimmy Mumford saw him tee up striker George Holmes, the forward unable to beat the Rayners keeper.
Just 1-minute later though the breakthrough came after Mumford slotted the ball through to Mckie who finished past the keeper.
The turnaround was complete after 78-minutes. Another through ball, this time by Fin Phillips, saw Mckie 1-on-1 with the keeper. The forward cooly slotting it home.
A great comeback from The Yachtsmen will see them in the hat for Monday’s draw.
The Yachtsmen’s best performance in the FA Vase came back in 1999/2000 when they reached the 5th round, besting this feat is still very much in their own hands.
Elsewhere in the Vase, Newport’s 7-game winning run came to an end when they lost at home to Ascot United.
The hosts, who were on an impressive winning run in all competitions bowed out of the cup losing 1-0.
Port played well against their step 5 opposition and made the club from Berkshire work for their place in the next round. Dogged defending and some brilliant goalkeeping from Leon Pitman in between the sticks made the game competitive until the end.
Whilst they will be disappointed to not be in the hat for the draw, all attention is on the visit of mid-table Ringwood Town to Smallbrook next Saturday.
Meanwhile in the Wessex League Division 1, East Cowes Vics held 3rd placed Folland Sports to a 0-0 at Beatrice Avenue.
Vics, who without several 1st team regulars, had to draft in some players from the reserve team survived a major scare just 8-minutes in when Folland striker Arabia Shelbatzadeh missed a golden opportunity.
After weathering the early storm, Vics began to create some chances, the pick of the bunch, a good cross sent to Toby Snow in the 6-yard box. However it wasn’t taken.
The 2nd 45 was somewhat more attritional, with neither side able to take the game by the scruff of the neck and earn all 3 points.
Vics will be buoyed by the performance against a higher table opponent as well as the fact they stayed competitive despite missing several 1st team players.
Up next for East Cowes is a trip to 2nd in the table Downton next weekend.
