Cowes Sports have won the Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup for the 3rd successive year by beating local rivals East Cowes Vics in front of 982 spectators at the Zilch Waste Stadium this afternoon (Saturday).
Such was the interest in the ‘El Classicowes’ cup final that, spectators were still queuing to enter the ground more than 20 minutes after the game had kicked off.
Wessex League Division One play-off winners East Cowes Victoria came racing out the blocks with an early chance for Josh Neale inside the first 60 seconds.
A minute later, Scott Jones put Vics ahead after by slotting the ball past Cowes keeper Ed Hatt from the middle of the penalty area (1-0).
The Yachtsmen – who had home advantage for the cup final – responded robustly to the early setback with their midfield controlling the game.
Scott MacFarlane levelled the scores in the 7th minute by the curling the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty area (1-1) – Cowes Sports’ 10,000th goal.
Vics forwards Scott Jones and Josh Neale were proving a handful during the early the exchanges, forcing Cowes to concede a succession of corners.
From one of the resulting set-pieces, Liam Newbold headed just over the bar as Vics looked to restore their advantage.
However, on the 20-minute mark, the game was flipped on its head when Cowes centre half Callum Chase was left unmarked at the back post to smash home a free kick (1-2).
The game turned scrappy as the first half wore on, with yellow cards awarded to the Yachtsmen’s’ Jake Wright and Vics’ Jacob Reynolds for over-zealous challenges.
Shortly before the half-time whistle, Liam Newbold was yellow-carded for an overly physical challenge on Cowes frontman Scott MacFarlane. The resulting John McKie free kick was parried for a corner by Vics keeper Alex Ram.
Half time: East Cowes Victoria 1-2 Cowes Sports
The 2nd half started slowly albeit with Vics enjoying the majority of possession.
In the 54th minute, an in-swinging Harrison Yates delivery found the head of Josh Neale who was thwarted by a superb Ed Hatt save.
Chances for either team were few and far between, as the clock ticked past the hour mark.
Jake Wright had the chance to extend the Yachtsmen’s lead from an 86th minute free kick, but an athletic save from Alex Ram parried the ball to Ryan Oatley, who struck the crossbar from the rebound, with the ball eventually being scrambled clear.
Vics’ final scoring opportunity came in the 1st minute of injury time when substitute Caleb Neale curled the ball just past the far post.
Injury time was extended by a clash of heads in the penalty area, with the Yachtsmen comfortably defending their lead to secure a hat trick of Gold Cup victories.
Full time: East Cowes Victoria 1-2 Cowes Sports
East Cowes Victoria: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold (c), Wheeler, Boyd-Kerr, Reynolds, Coode, Jones, Hart, J Neale, Subs: Voller, Sullivan, Perrin, Law, C Neale
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Hughes, Mumford, Chase, Oatley, Phillips, McKie (c), Cook, MacFarlane, Wright, Martel, Subs: Tout- Walters, Browne, Lewis, Bridi, Haward
Man-of-the-match: Ryan Oatley
