Forget about the World Cup – there is plenty of football action on the Island with games in the Island Echo Challenge Cup, Gold Cup, Memorial Cup as well as in the Island and Wessex Leagues.
In the Island Echo Challenge Cup …
Newly promoted East Cowes Sports face 1st Division newcomers Pan Community at GKN Sports Ground. Pan – now managed by former Newport manager Stewart Shepherd – have done well in their 1st season back in the top flight and currently lie in 6th place. ECS have struggled and currently lie 3rd-from-bottom.
Pan beat ECS 1-2 in the corresponding league fixture on the opening day of the season.
In Isle of Wight Division 1 …
The 2 strongest teams in Division 1 – Whitecroft & Barton and Shanklin – face each other at Sandy Lane. Both teams are unbeaten in the season to date and the result of the fixture may decide the destination of the title.
The 2 sides faced each other in October at the County Ground with the two sides cancelling each other out in a goalless draw.
W&B manager Gareth True said about the fixture:
“Should be another good game. Looking forward to it again. Big games come with nerves, but they are the games you want to play in and look back on if they go your way.”
Shanklin manager Paul Haward has said:
” We are approaching the game exactly the same as we do in all the others. We are looking forward to it.”
In the Wessex League …
The Yachtsmen will hope to end their 6-game losing run in the Wessex Premier Division when they play 2nd-from-bottom Pagham at Westwood Park.
Cowes Sports assistant manager Andy Brown has said:
“The lads will have gained confidence from the past 2 performances and now need to take that into the game on Saturday! We do have to make a couple of enforced changes with players either away or suspended. However, we also have players coming back to create competition for places!
“In my opinion, we have enough to get the vital 3 points, but also take nothing for granted against a side who have recruited strongly in past weeks plus also seen improved results.
“The last 2 games they have come from behind on 3 occasions last week and once on Tuesday evening! Hopefully, that will be the catalyst they need.”
In Wessex Division 1, 5th-placed Newport will hope to return to winning ways when they take on 2nd-from-bottom Amesbury Town at Bonnymead Park.
The Port have already beaten Amesbury 4-0 earlier in the season at Smallbrook in the FA Vase
Also in Wessex Division 1, 3rd-from-bottom East Cowes Vics face 15th-placed Romsey Town at Beatrice Avenue. Vics are due a win, having failed to win at Beatrice Avenue in the season to date.
East Cowes Vics manager Richard Woodburn has said:
“It’s a massive game. We have only lost 1 of our 6 home league games so far this season, yet still to record a home victory! It’s vital we turn draws into victories, particularly in our more winnable home fixtures if we are to avoid being dragged deeper into trouble!”
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 26th November
Premier Division
Cowes Sports v Pagham
Division One
Amesbury Town v Newport (IoW) Town
East Cowes Victoria v Romsey Town
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 26th November
Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup 1st Round
Ryde Saints v Oakfield
Island Echo Challenge Cup
ECS v Pan Community
Isle of Wight Memorial Cup
Osborne Coburg v AFC Wootton
Harwoods Renault Division 1
Bembridge v Cowes Sports Reserves
Binstead & COB v West Wight
Northwood St Johns v Brading Town
Sandown & Lake v Vectis
Whitecroft & Barton Sports v Shanklin
Harwoods Renault Division 2
Carisbrooke United v Yarmouth & Calbourne
High Park v East Cowes Vics Reserves
Niton Community v Newchurch
Ventnor v Seaview
Harwoods Combination 1
Shanklin v Brading Town
Oakfield v Bembridge
Vectis v Northwood St Johns
West Wight v Sandown & Lake
No Fixture: Binstead & COB & ECS
Harwoods Combination 2
AFC Wootton v Ryde Saints
Newchurch v Ventnor
Pan Community v Osborne Coburg
No Fixture: Bembridge ‘A’ & Niton Community
