An injury time goal saw perennial Island League champions W&B see off Cowes Sports Reserves in a closely fought contest at fortress Sandy Lane on Saturday, to go top of Division 1 for the first time this season.
The game was remarkable as it saw W&B keeper Andy Payne concede a goal in a league game for the first time in the 2021/22 campaign. His record of 11 consecutive clean sheets before Saturday’s game matches that of Edwin Van Der Sar for Manchester United in the English Premiership in 2008-9. Andy had gone 990 minutes without being beaten before blotting his copybook in the 15th minute on Saturday, meaning that he passed the milestone of a 1,000 minutes unbeaten.
Cowes Sports first team were left without a game on Saturday after storms prevented Alresford Town from travelling across the Solent. The Reserves were therefore able to include powerful forward Connor Furmidge in the side that travelled to Sandy Lane.
The Yachtsmen scored after 15 minutes when a miscommunication between Charlie Shaw and goalkeeper Andy Payne led to young Cowes winger Joshua Neale knocking the ball into an empty net (0-1). W&B equalised on 38 minutes through a Josh Appell header from an Aiden Sainsbury corner (1-1).
In the 2nd half, W&B huffed and puffed and got the winner with the last kick of the game when Matt Evans smashed the ball home from 15 yards after a Jack East cross was headed out by Cowes defender, following which the entire W&B team and dugout celebrated maintaining their 100% record for the 12th game in succession.
FT: Whitecroft & Barton Sports 2-1 Cowes Sports Reserves
Victory leaves W&B in 1st place in the Division 1 table with a maximum 36 points from 12 games.
In other games…
Whitecroft & Barton Reserves also had an emphatic victory, beating Ryde Saints Reserves 10-0 at Pell Lane. The W&B scorers were Nathan Martin (hat trick), Rob Taylor (2), Simon Williams, John Bilton, Maddox Caws, Mat Grace and Mark Augustus.
2nd-placed Shanklin were held to a goalless draw by Vectis at Cowes Enterprise College. Shanklin, who remain unbeaten, have 36 points from their 14 games and trail W&B on goal difference. Vectis are 9th with 10 points from 10 games.
3rd-placed Bembridge suffered an emphatic 0-5 defeat to West Wight at Steyne Park. The West Wight scorers were Charlie Smeeton (2), Jason Moore, Ryan Bradley and Jack Butler. Bembridge now have 26 points from their 13 games; 5th-placed West Wight have 18 points from 13 games.
4th-placed Binstead & COB trounced 2nd-from-bottom Niton 0-5 at Nine Acres. The goals for Binstead came courtesy of Henry West, Phil McDonald, a brace from Kirky Austin and Tom Grandvoinet.
8th-placed Brading beat 10th-placed Sandown & Lake 5-1 at Vicarage Lane. Aaron Bennett (2), Scott Lawson, Todd Connor and captain Dan Vale were all on target for the Romans.
In the final game in Division 1, the Ryde derby saw 11th-placed Oakfield win local bragging rights by dispatching rivals, bottom club Ryde Saints, 5-1 at Slade Road. The scorers for the Oakers were Matt Woolford (2), Martin Barrow, Louis Strickland and Kj Warrington.
In Division 2, Pan remain at the top of the table after beating local rivals Carisbrooke 2-3 at Clatterford Rec, courtesy of a brace of goals from Mark Taylor and a single goal from Ross Lacey. Pan now have 37 points from 14 games, scoring a remarkable 78 times at an average of over 5 goals a game. 30 of Pan’s goals have come from former Newport Wessex League player Mark Taylor. Carisbrooke apparently avoided defeat by a cricket score through an excellent performance from goalkeeper Dan Thompson, who pulled off some amazing saves.
In the Memorial Cup, a young East Cowes Vics Reserve side reached the 2nd round by beating a Seaview team featuring 50-year-old Duncan O’ Rourke in goal and 61-year-old Andy Strickland in defence 4-1 at Beatrice Avenue. The Vics scorers were Sam Cant (2), Damian Cassford and Matt Walter.
Isle of Wight results for Saturday 27th November 2021
HFA Vase 3rd Round: Shanklin Reserves 3-1 Brading Town Reserves
The Memorial Cup Sponsored by Andy Butler Sports Ground Specialists 1st Round: East Cowes Vics Reserves 4-1 Seaview
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Division 1: Bembridge 0-5 West Wight; Brading Town 5-1 Sandown & Lake; Niton Community 0-5 Binstead & COB; Oakfield 5-1 Ryde Saints; Vectis 0-0 Shanklin; Whitecroft & Barton Sports 2-1 Cowes Sports Reserves; No Fixture: Northwood St Johns
Division 2: AFC Wootton 6-1 Ventnor; Carisbrooke United 2-3 Pan Community; Newport Reserves A-W High Park; Osborne Coburg 2-0 Newchurch; Wroxall 2-12 Adgestone; Yarmouth & Calbourne 0-8 East Cowes Sports
Combination Division 1: Northwood St Johns 8-1 Bembridge; Ryde Saints 0-10 Whitecroft & Barton Sports; Sandown & Lake 1-3 Binstead & COB; West Wight 2-1 Oakfield; No Fixture: Osborne Coburg
Combination Division 2: Bembridge ‘A’ H-W Yarmouth & Calbourne; East Cowes Sports 12-0 Newchurch; Pan Community H-W AFC Wootton; Vectis 1-1 Niton Community; Ventnor 5-2 Carisbrooke United
Isle of Wight results courtesy of IoW DFA. W&B match report written with kind assistance of Dean Rayner.
