Cowes Sports held Southern League Larkhall to a draw at Westwood Park on Saturday (20th August) in the FA Cup preliminary round despite Harri Catania and goalkeeper Ed Hatt being red carded.
The Yachtsmen took an early 10th minute lead against the Southern League side when Harri Catania sent a sublime 25-yard left-footed lob over James Walker in the Larkhall goal (1-0).
The Island side appeared to be more than a match for their higher league opponents until an incident in the 32nd minute in which Catania made a rash challenge for a 50/50 ball, leading to a melee between the 2 sides in which Henry West was knocked to the ground by Larkhall captain Dan Restorick. After consulting with his assistants, referee Thomas Farr sent off Catania and booked Restorick.
Half time: Cowes Sports 1-0 Larkhall Athletic
Cowes keeper Hatt pulled off a good save in the 50th minute, but for most of the 2nd half the Yachtsman soaked up considerable pressure from the away side without coming close to conceding a goal.
With 4 minutes of the game remaining, Hatt was sent off for a professional foul on the edge of the penalty area. Morgan Perrin stepped up to take the goalkeeper’s jersey. Owen Taylor stepped up for the away side to send the resulting free kick to the right of Perrin and into the net (1-1).
Full time: Cowes Sports 1-1 Larkhall Athletic
Cowes Sports: Hatt, White, Dempsey, Perrin, O.West. H. West (Conway), Catania, Hayward (Coode), J.Neale (McFarlane), Phillips (c), Ahmed Subs not used: C.Neale, Jackson, Voller, Pearson
After the game, Larkhall manager Ollie Price said:
“We played nowhere near our capabilities, but it was just a matter of staying in the hat. I thought the referee had a good game and both sendings off were justified. I knew Cowes would be up for it, and they played really well. Their lad up front Eli Ahmed had an excellent game.”
Cowes manager Max Draper said:
“We were authors of our own downfall today. We have to sort out discipline issues. It was an impressive performance with 9 men against a Southern League side. We had fire in our bellies, but we should still have got over the line.”
The Port were knocked out of the preliminary round of the FA Cup by Wessex Premier side Stoneham.
The Purples took hit the Port upright twice before taking the lead through a Jim Orvis penalty in the 31st minute to lead 1-0 at half time.
Stoneham again hit the woodwork twice in the 2nd half before Duate Martins made victory certain for the Eastleigh-based side with an 82nd minute header (2-0). Substitute Finn Smith – the youngest ever FA cup goal scorer – was unlucky not to record his 2nd goal in 2 FA Cup games when he had an 84th minute shot blocked by the Stoneham keeper.
Full time: Stoneham 2-0 Newport IW
Newport IW: Pitman, Colson, Lamb, Barron, Pearce, Triggs, Kelly, Reynolds, Browne, Younie, Butcher Subs: Wetherick, Phillips, Craig, Streeter
In Wessex Division 1, East Cowes Vics – the only Isle of Wight side left with an unbeaten record at the start of Saturday’s game – were narrowly beaten by New Forest side Ringwood Town.
Ringwood scored first through Pat Correia (1-0), with Toby Snow equalising for Vics (1-1). However, a further strike by Ringwood’s Ryan Hamm (2-1) saw Vics trailing at the half time interval.
Vics went further behind through a 2nd half own goal (3-1) before Coner Lyon pulled a goal back for the East Cowes side (3-2). However, Vics’ chance of returning across the Solent with a point were dashed when Harrison Berry was dismissed for a 2nd yellow card.
Full time: Ringwood Town 3-2 East Cowes Vics
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Newbold, Woodford, Berry, White, Lyon, Chapman, Yates, Cant, Snow, Marsek Subs: Walsh, Kettell, Lacey
