The Yachtsmen have missed the chance to go 2nd in the Wessex Premier League this Saturday after a linesman’s controversial ruling that a header saved by keeper Ed Hatt had crossed the Cowes goal line, which levelled the score deep into injury time.
Cowes Sports were without Wessex Premier leading scorer John McKie, who had pulled a hamstring in the midweek Wessex League Cup tie against Andover New Street. However, the Yachtsmen welcomed back forward, George Carter-Knight, who has returned to Westwood Park after a spell with Island League Shanklin.
The Yachtsmen began the game on the front foot with Conor White shooting narrowly wide in the 2nd minute. A minute later, Morgan Perrin sent an effort just over the crossbar. George Carter-Knight then had 2 attempts stopped by the excellent Amesbury ‘keeper Ernest Ossei before shooting wide.
Despite the constant Cowes pressure, it was the Wiltshire side who opened the scoring when Jordan Matthews lobbed Ed Hatt in the 32nd minute (0-1). The goal took the wind out of the Yachtsmen’s sails, and they struggled to find a way back into the game, although a minute before the half time interval the industrious Carter-Knight sent the ball across the face of the goal, which failed to find a foot for the finishing touch.
HT: Cowes Sports 0-1 Amesbury Town
The Yachtsmen made a change shortly after half time when Jimmy Wykes replaced Jimmy Mumford. Wykes soon made an impact when he crossed the ball from the right to Carter-Knight in the middle of the penalty area in the 53rd minute, who volleyed the ball into the roof of the net (1-1).
Max Draper then made a further change, sending on the big forward Connor Furmidge to replace Aedan Coode. The Yachtsmen’s attempts to take the lead left them exposed at the back, and Amesbury came close to taking advantage when a Stefan Williams header glanced of the left post before falling into Hatt’s grateful hands.
It was an end-to-end contest as both sides battled for the 3 points. In the 73rd minute, Fin Phillips forced a great stop from the athletic Amesbury ‘keeper Ossei, who parried the ball to Wykes, whose weak effort went straight back to Ossei’s arms. In the 77th minute, George Carter-Knight shot just wide. In the 78th minute Ji Nash found himself free on the left of the Amesbury area but directed a poor shot at Ossei.
It wasn’t all one-way-traffic as the Wiltshire side created some excellent chances themselves with Ed Hatt making a strong save to deny Jordan Matthews, following which Callum Chase was forced to clear the ball off his own goal line. It was then the turn of Amesbury keeper Ossei to demonstrate his agility by deflecting a powerful strike from Jimmy Wykes for a corner.
The Yachtsmen finally made their breakthrough 4 minutes from full time when Amesbury’s Billy Drever blasted a miscued effort from George Carter-Knight into his own goal (2-1).
However, in the 2nd minute of injury time Drever atoned for his error by directing a close-range header into the Cowes goal, which was stopped on (or beyond) the goal line by the Yachtsmen’s keeper, Ed Hatt. The Amesbury players made vociferous appeals for a goal. In response, referee Darren Cooley consulted his assistant referee, who ruled in favour of a goal (2-2).
But had it crossed the line? The assistant referee was not level with play and therefore could not make the decision with complete confidence. The video evidence suggests Ed Hatt had (just) managed to keep the ball out. The injury time ‘goal’ may be viewed on the Cowes Sports YouTube video at 1:38.12.
FT: Cowes Sports 2-2 Amesbury Town
Cowes Sports: Hatt, White, Pye-Poulter, Conway, Chase, Perrin (70), Phillips, Mumford (49), Nash, Carter-Knight, Coode (61) Subs: Wykes (49), Furmidge (61), Robertson (70), Cruise, Denness
The draw leaves Cowes Sports in 4th place in the Wessex Premier League with 11 points from 7 games. Had the Yachtsmen won, they would have been in 2nd place on an equal number of points as leaders, Baffins Milton Rovers.
After the match, Amesbury manager, Jim Macey, said:
“It was a very even game and a fair result. Cowes is a difficult place to come and get a result. We have 11 players missing because of Covid and injuries. We have had to sign what is practically a new side.”
For the Yachtsmen, manager Max Draper said:
“We don’t have the squad the mainland teams have. In all honesty, we didn’t play. We lacked that little bit of energy. The games are relentless. We have several injuries, and we’re tired after playing in midweek. We need to be fit and firing.”
On Tuesday (7th September) Cowes Sports travel to Eastleigh to face unbeaten Stoneham who currently lie in 7th place in the Wessex Premier.
In Wessex League 1, early pace setters Newport won again, this time journeying to Dorset to beat Verwood Town, 4-5. The scorers for the Port were: Jordan Browne, Joe Butcher, Josh Younie, Neo Lamb and Liam Harper.
Newport are now in 1st place with 18 points from 7 games. Free scoring Port have scored 28 goals in the season so far at an average of 4 goals per game.
East Cowes Vics lost 5-0 at Andover New Street. Vics are currently in 15th place with 5 points from 6 games.
Video courtesy of Cowes Sports FC. Videos of all Cowes Sports home games are available on the Cowes Sports YouTube channel.
