3rd-placed East Cowes Vics Reserves beat 2nd-placed High Park by a single goal at Beatrice Avenue on Saturday (8th April).
Vics had several players in their team who featured in the Good Friday derby against Newport: Kade Woodford, Harrison Berry, Sam Kirby, James Turner and Jake McNaney. A former Vics favourite – Scott Saunders – was on the bench for High Park.
The match began brightly for Vics, who should have led by 3 goals in the opening 20 minutes. The 1st scoring opportunity fell to Cruz Wragg in the 3rd minute, who failed to beat Park keeper Mike Hammond in a 1-on-1 scoring opportunity.
In the 5th minute, Vics centre forward Charlie Southcott was brought down in the penalty area. Aiden Sheerin blasted the resulting spot kick against the crossbar.
Southcott had a further chance to score in the 20th when put through into the penalty area but was denied by the Park keeper.
High Park came back in the closing stages of the 1st half with John Robjant blasting the ball wide in the 35th before forcing a good save from Vics keeper Law on the stroke of half time.
Half time: East Cowes Vics Reserves 0-0 High Park
The East Cowes side finally took the lead in the 58th when Brandon Tuckey burst down the right before cutting inside for James Turner to finish in the right corner of the goal.
Vics defended well for the remainder of the 2nd half. In the 70th minute, keeper Law saved a goalward-bound High Park header and then in the 75th Jake McNaney made a last-ditch sliding tackle to deny the opposition a scoring opportunity in a promising position.
The game ended in controversy with Lewis Fleming dismissed from the High Park bench in the 85th minute for clashing with Vics’ George Terry on the touchline.
Shortly afterwards, there was a delay for several minutes after Nathan Holton had been caught by a late tackle and was forced off the pitch injured.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 1-0 High Park
East Cowes Vics: Law, McNaney, Woodford, Lacey, Berry, Kirby, Day, Sheerin, Southcott, Turner, Wragg Subs: Tuckey, Lloyd, Terry
High Park: Hammond, Younie, Norman, McKenna, Phillips, Hunt, Robjant, Malpas, Hunt, Bast, Holton Subs: Clarke, Saunders
After the game, Vics Reserves manager Stuart Simmonds said:
“We deserved to win. We had 3 excellent chances in the 1st half, scored a great goal then saw the game out.
“Referee Keyson Colebrook had a great game, in my opinion.”
Vics’ victory leaves 3 teams – Ventnor, High Park and Vics Reserves – all on 37 points. Leaders Ventnor have 4 games remaining; High Park and Vics just 1.
2 teams will be promoted to next year’s Division 1. High Park play Niton in their final fixture; Vics face Ventnor.
Yarmouth & Calbourne 1-14 Osborne Coburg
In the only other game to be played in Division 2, Osborne Coburg knocked 14 (fourteen) goals past Yarmouth & Calbourne at Calbourne Rec. Dan Garbett netted 4 times for the away side; Mark Taylor scored a hat trick; Jack Carter bagged a brace. The remaining Osborne Coburg goals came courtesy of James Green, Carl Phillipson, Brad Kenning, Stephen McCarthy and Benji Evans-Jones.
Division 2 table below:
In Division 1 …
Northwood St Johns 1-1 West Wight
4th-placed West Wight drew with Northwood St Johns at the Isle of Wight Community Club thanks to a last minute penalty taken by Ash Brett.
Pan Community 0-4 Cowes Sports Reserves
3rd-placed Cowes Sports Reserves overcame Pan at Downside courtesy of a Morgan Perrin brace and further strikes from Zak Norton-Fever and Salem Abouelela.
Bembridge 0-4 Vectis
Vectis have climbed to 6th place in the Division 1 table by beating Bembridge at Steyne Park. The scorers for Vectis were Jamie Barratt, Louis Newsham and Ben Cutts. Bembridge also conceded an own goal.
Division 1 table below:
In the Memorial Cup …
East Cowes Sports 5-2 Ryde Saints
East Cowes Sports overcame Ryde Saints at the GKN Sports Ground by means of a Shaun Gulliver hat trick and a brace by Luke Oatley.
Sandown & Lake 0-1 Brading Town
The Romans beat Brading at the Fairway thanks to a strike by 16-year-old substitute Finn Smith (the FA Cup’s youngest-ever goalscorer).
Shanklin 5-0 Binstead & COB
Shanklin knocked 5 past Binstead at the County Ground courtesy of a brace from George Carter-Knight and further strikes from Cory Sanderson and Nicky Vyse.
Ventnor 1-5 Whitecroft & Barton Sports
W&B saw off Ventnor at Watcombe Bottom. Sam Yelland scored a brace for the away side with Liam Harper, Aidan Sainsbury and Joe Adams also appearing on the scoresheet.
In the Memorial Cup semi-finals, W&B play Brading Town at Sandy Lane and Shanklin face East Cowes Sports at the County Ground.
Congratulations to Ventnor Reserves and Niton Reserves who meet in the final of the Junior ‘B’ Cup after overcoming Bembridge A and Osborne Coburg Reserves in the semi-finals of the competition.
Isle of Wight results for Saturday 8th April
The Isle of Wight Memorial Cup sponsored by Andy Butler Sports Ground Specialist
Quarter-Finals
East Cowes Sports 5-2 Ryde Saints
Sandown & Lake 0-1 Brading Town
Shanklin 5-0 Binstead & COB
Ventnor 1-5 Whitecroft & Barton Sports
The UNISON Isle of Wight Junior ‘B’ Cup – Semi-Finals
Bembridge ‘A’ 0-3 Niton Community Reserves
Osborne Coburg Reserves 1-2 Ventnor Reserves
Harwoods Renault Saturday League Division 1
Northwood St Johns 1-1 West Wight
Pan Community 0-4 Cowes Sports Reserves
Bembridge 0-4 Vectis
Harwoods Renault Saturday League Division 2
East Cowes Vics Reserves 1-0 High Park
Yarmouth & Calbourne 1-14 Osborne Coburg
Harwoods Renault Saturday League Combination Division 1
Binstead & COB 1-4 ECS
Brading Town 4-2 Vectis
West Wight 4-1 Shanklin
Results courtesy of IOW DFA
Headbutt and punch from the vile Fleming.