Both Cowes Sports and East Cowes Vics have Wessex League ties at Westwood Park and Beatrice Avenue today (Saturday).
In the Wessex Premier, 11th-placed Cowes Sports return to league action against 16th-placed United Services Portsmouth after their shock 1-2 away win at Alton in the FA Vase.
Manager Max Draper says:
“We look forward to being back at Westwood. The last couple of games at home have been belters, so hopefully this will be much the same, but this time with the right result.
“It will be important for us to get some points on the board after a few weeks of cups and a loss at Portland. However, it won’t be easy against a US Portsmouth side fresh off the back of beating Stoneham, so we will have to be at our best and do the basics right.”
In Wessex Division 1, 7th-placed East Cowes Vics will be hoping to keep up the momentum of their 1-8 victory at Andover in their home tie against Folland Sports.
Manager Alex Smith told Island Echo:
“Follands will certainly provide a strong test of our defensive quality, having scored 15 goals in their previous 4 games. However they’ve conceded plenty too, averaging over 4.5 goals against in their previous 5, and we’ll look to capitalise on those frailties.
“I certainly wouldn’t be pleased with a basketball-style end-to-end game, and we’ll be looking to assert a level of control on the game to ensure that doesn’t happen.
“Last Saturday was a great opportunity to embed our patterns, and we’ll particularly take confidence from how well we started the game at Andover.
“Jacob Reynolds racing to a 30-minute hat trick from midfield was particularly impressive. Recent performances from Ted Mumford have been very pleasing, growing into our system well at only 17 years old. Ji Nash has hit some fine form, scoring 6 in his last 3 starts and will of course be looking to keep that run going against Follands.
“If we’re at our best, we’ll win the game, but anything less than that won’t be good enough.”
Newport are without a fixture this Saturday but travel to United Services Portsmouth on Tuesday in the 2nd round of the Velocity Wessex League Cup. East Cowes Vics are away to Laverstock & Ford in the same competition.
In women’s football, Shanklin play Southern League Winchester City Flyers at the County Ground in the FA Cup on Sunday (1st October).
Player-manager Gemma Woodford – who will unfortunately be unavailable for the match – says:
“All the girls are looking forward to the game on Sunday it’s always nice to have a run in the FA Cup.
“The squad’s looking good; we’ve got a few people missing because of injuries.
“Winchester are a few leagues above but the girls are still confident we can win.”
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 30th September
Wessex Premier
Cowes Sports v United Services Portsmouth
Wessex Division 1
East Cowes Vics v Folland Sports
Wessex League fixtures for Tuesday 3rd October
Velocity Wessex League Cup
Laverstock & Ford v East Cowes Vics
United Services Portsmouth v Newport (IoW)
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 30th September
Harwoods Division 1
Shanklin v Cowes Sports Reserves
Combination 1
Binstead & Cob v Brading Town
Vectis v ECS
Combination 2
Ventnor A v Newchurch
West Wight ‘A’ v Seaview
Hants Saturday Trophy
Vectis v Colden Common
Brading Town v Compton
ECS v Baffins Milton Rovers Development
Whitehill and Bordon v Binstead & Cob
Hants Saturday Vase
Bembridge A v West Wight Reserves
Bembridge Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
Bournemouth Development v Newchurch
Braishfield Reserves v AFC Wootton Reserves
Fordingbridge Turks v Northwood St Johns Reserves
Gosport Borough Youth v Whitecroft & Barton Sports Reserves
High Park FC Reserves v Fordingbridge Turks
Newport (IOW) Reserves v Bisterne United
Niton Reserves v Wyvern Youth Sharks
Osborne Coburg v Niton
Overton United Reserves v AFC Wootton
Ryde Saints Reserves v Meon Milton Reserves
Sandown and Lake v Ryde Saints
Sandown and Lake Reserves v Sporting Wessex
St Francis Reserves v Osborne Coburg Reserves
Women’s Football fixtures for Sunday 1st October
Women’s FA Cup
Shanklin Ladies v Winchester City Flyers
Hampshire County Women’s Football League, Division 3
City Ladies v Wight Eagles
