East Cowes Vics powered into the Gold Cup semi-finals with a ‘lucky 13’ against Island League Osborne Coburg, scoring a hat trick of hat tricks on Tuesday evening.
Vics arrived at Beatrice Avenue in red-hot form and wasted no time taking control, racing into a 2-0 lead within four minutes through Scott Jones and Jordan Chapman. Their fluent attacking play overwhelmed Coburg from the outset, with Jake Wright adding a third in the 23rd minute and Josh Neale making it 4-0 just a minute later.
Osborne Coburg, to their credit, continued to fight for every ball, showing determination and energy despite the pressure. Wright grabbed his second to make it 5-0, before Jones struck again on 40 minutes. Elliott Apter almost gave Coburg something to celebrate when his clever lob drifted narrowly over, but just before the interval Jacob Reynolds extended Vics’ lead to 7-0.
Half time: East Cowes Vics 7 – 0 Osborne Coburg
After the restart, Vics picked up where they left off. Within 2 minutes, Scott Jones completed his hat trick to make it 8-0, and moments later Jake Wright followed suit with his own third goal of the night. Jones was then brought down in the area, but Josh Neale’s penalty was superbly saved by Coburg goalkeeper Malcolm Arnold, who produced a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline from climbing even higher.
Caleb Neale curled home a stylish effort from the edge of the box for 10-0 before 16-year-old Travis Pitman showed great composure to add an eleventh. Neale then fired an unstoppable strike into the top corner for 12-0 and rounded off his own hat trick with a thunderous 20-yard drive in the final minute – completing a remarkable hat trick of hat tricks for Vics through Jones, Wright and Neale.
Despite the heavy defeat, Osborne Coburg showed real character and commitment throughout, continuing to press forward and compete until the final whistle against a clinical and confident Vics side.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 13 – 0 Osborne Coburg
East Cowes Victoria: Bridi, Snow, Newbold (c), Wheeler, C. Neale, Chapman, Coode, Wright, J. Neale, Jones, Reynolds. Subs: Wragg, Holbrook, Sweatman, Pitman, Roberts (gk).
Osborne Coburg: Arnold, Hernes, Kenning, Higgins, Stagg, Glen, Brien, Ledger, Apter, Pengelly, Cotton. Subs: Giacomelli, White, Stone, McCarthy.
Vics now turn their attention to Saturday’s clash with Hampshire Premier League leaders AFC Stoneham at Beatrice Avenue, while Osborne Coburg make the short trip next door to face East Cowes Sports in the Memorial Cup.
COWES SPORTS FALL TO CLINICAL PETERSFIELD TOWN AT ZILCH WASTE STADIUM
Cowes Sports were beaten 0-5 at home by second-placed Petersfield Town at Westwood Park on Tuesday evening, as the visitors’ Asad Semi hit a hat trick.
The Rams almost took the lead inside 2 minutes when a powerful effort struck the crossbar. Their early dominance paid off in the 14th minute when a defensive lapse allowed Asad Semi to slot home from close range.
6 minutes later, it was 0-2 as Dan Wood rose unmarked to head in from a corner, leaving Cowes with a mountain to climb. Petersfield extended their advantage in the 34th minute when Rocco Gamblin cut in from the left and drilled a low shot into the far corner (0-3). Moments later, the visitors were awarded a penalty which Semi calmly converted to make it 0-4 before half time.
Half time: Cowes Sports 0 – 4 Petersfield Town
The Yachtsmen tried to regain composure after the break but struggled to contain a confident Petersfield side. The Rams continued to press and were rewarded in the 73rd minute when Semi completed his hat trick, finishing neatly to seal a comprehensive victory (0-4).
Cowes created a handful of late chances but were unable to find a breakthrough against a disciplined Petersfield defence.
Full time: Cowes Sports 0 – 5 Petersfield Town
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Hughes, Flood, Chase, Oatley, Colson, Carter-Knight, Haward, Browne, Sanderson, Phillips. Subs: Cruttenden, Perrin, Berry, Backshall, Ram (gk) Man-of-the-match: Ed Hatt (gk)
After the game, Cowes Sports joint manager Mark Woodhouse said:
“I expect the club to be considering my position at the moment. From my personal point of view, what’s happened tonight isn’t good enough, and the buck stops with me and Pottsy (Ian Potts) at the top end of the club.
“It’s all well and good us taking the credit when we’re winning games. We’re losing at the moment, and we’ve got to take the blame for it.
“I love this club, and I want to keep doing this job as long as I can but at the moment, it’s out of my hands. I’m not delusional enough to think you can just keep turning up and keep losing football matches. I really want a reaction from us Saturday.”
Cowes Sports remain 15th in the Wessex Premier, with 16 points from 15 games. The Yachtsmen will look to respond to their defeat when they travel to Hamworthy Recreation on Saturday.
