Cowes Sports Reserves set up a tasty 2nd round tie with Shanklin after they beat a spirited Ryde Saints 1-5 at Smallbrook in the 1st round of the Island Echo Challenge Cup today (Saturday).
The game, which was due to be played originally back in November, started as many thought it would do given the league positions of the 2 teams, with Cowes dominating the ball.
However, for all the early Cowes pressure, it was the Saints who took lead on 10 minutes after Dave Chainey tidily volleyed home a cross from the left (1-0).
Cowes tried to reply instantly and almost did so when George Holmes latched onto a ball over the top of the Ryde back 4, only for keeper Ed Humphries to thwart his effort.
For Ryde – who are without a single point in the league – the industrious Ollie Sweatman stung the palms of Cowes keeper Ben Gearing after 25 minutes when he let fly from just outside the box.
At the halfway stage of the 1st half Cowes got their goal after another ball over the top found Holmes once more; the striker made no mistake this time, coolly lobbing the onrushing Humphries to make it 1-1.
Just 7 minutes later, Holmes turned provider when he played a crisp left footed pass across the the Saints box, allowing Matt Nowak to tap in from 5 yards to make it 1-2.
Half Time: Ryde Saints 1-2 Cowes Sports Reserves.
When the 2 sides met in the league back in November, Cowes came out 7-0 winners but it wasn’t that easy this time around with Saints defending stoically and keeper Humphries making several good saves.
At around the hour mark, Cowes broke forward again, unleashing Holmes down the right hand side. The striker, who has made a few appearances for the Cowes 1st team this season, took the ball past a few Saints defenders and drove the ball across the keeper and into the bottom corner (1-3).
Not long after, substitute Kudzi – who looked lively after coming on – took aim from the edge of the penalty area with his strike deflecting off the unlucky Humphries in the Ryde goal (1-4).
Man of the match Holmes made it a hat trick late on when he slotted past the keeper from inside the box (1-5).
Full Time: Ryde Saints 1-5 Cowes Sports Reserves
After the game, Cowes Sports Reserves manager Tom Driscoll said:
“The pitch was horrendous.
“First 15 started badly, and we were a goal down after 10 minutes, but we showed character to get back to 2-1. Then, we controlled the game in the 2nd half. The Ryde Saints goalkeeper made some good saves. Otherwise, we would have scored more.
“My man-of-the-match was George Holmes.”
With the win, the Yachtsmen have set up a mouth-watering 2nd round tie against table topping Shanklin, who have already beaten the North Wight team twice this season.
Ryde Saints: Humphries, Cracknell, Sadel, Baker, Young, Deakin, Vaughan, Sweatman, Chainey, Johnson, Wollweber Subs: Kent, White, Frankling
Cowes Sports Reserves: Gearing, Mumford, Coshell, Ridley, Sayers, Holmes, Perrin, Laird, M Nowak, R Nowak, Williams Subs: Kudzi, Norton, Baker
JOE TIGWELL SCORES BRACE AS NORTHWOOD REACH NEXT ROUND
Northwood St Johns advanced to the Quarter Finals of the Island Echo Challenge Cup by beating Oakfield 3-0 at the Isle of Wight Community Club.
The 1st round tie was memorable for Northwood No. 4 Joe Tigwell as this was his 150th appearance for the Cowes club.
Northwood attacked from the off with an Oakfield defender hitting his own upright in the 4th minute.
The home side took the lead in the 13th minute, with Joe Tigwell scoring a poacher’s goal from 5 yards (1-0).
In the 2nd half, Jason Malcolmson doubled Northwood’s lead on the hour mark by heading in an Ollie Cousins cross (2-0).
Joe Tigwell then added a 3rd goal for Northwood with a further close range strike (3-0).
Full time: Northwood St Johns 3-0 Oakfield
Northwood St Johns: Payne, Jone, L.Flux, Tigwell, Butt, Watson, J. Flux, Malcolmson, Cousins, Ince, Morgan Subs: Blackmore, Cook, Holton
Oakfield: Williams, Scott, Childs, Ward, Sanderson, Lloyd, Venn, Mack, Fretwell, Strickland, Salmon Subs: Hudson, Aboubakar
After the game, Northwood St Johns manager John Cook said:
“We dominated the game and should have scored more. But Oakfield battled till the end.”
Northwood St Johns now face Whitecroft & Barton Sports in the quarter finals.
WEST WIGHT BEAT SANDOWN BY THE BEST OF 3
West Wight reached the semi-finals of the Island Echo Challenge Cup by overcoming Sandown & Lake at the Fairway in a scrappy game on a difficult pitch.
Harry Dye opened the scoring for the visitors with a towering header in the 25th minute (0-1).
West Wight’s 2nd came 5 minutes after the half time break, courtesy of an own goal from Sandown number 5 Alex Breingan after a cross from the left from Zak Harris (0-2).
With 10 minutes of the match remaining, Breingan scored a direct free kick, which bounced wickedly off the poor surface and over the outstretched hands of West Wight keeper Monk (1-2)
Sandown then threw everything they had at the visitors for the final 10 minutes but couldn’t get the ball over the line for an equalizing goal.
Full time: Sandown & Lake 1-2 West Wight
West Wight: Monk, Phillips, Herbert, Merrett, Oliver, Harris, Mcfarlane, Dye, Thomas, Smeeton, Saunders Subs: Bricknell, Brett, Millar
