Irresistible force will meet immovable object at the County Ground today (Saturday) as Division 1 Champions Shanklin take on current Division 1 leaders W&B in a 6-pointer that may help decide the destination of this year’s Isle of Wight Division 1 title.
Both sides boast 100% records in the Isle of Wight League this season. Whitecroft & Barton currently head the table by 3 points but have played 1 game more than Shanklin. A win would see the Seasiders level on points with their closest rivals.
Last season, Shanklin beat W&B 2-1 after a Ryan Hill goal deep in injury time and subsequently went on to win the Division 1 title.
In the Wessex Premier Division, 15th-placed Cowes Sports take on 12th-placed Hythe & Dibden at Westwood Park.
The Yachtsmen will be hoping to put the embarrassment of last Saturday’s 8-0 defeat at Horndean behind them. However, Hythe & Dibden are no pushovers this season. Midweek, the Hampshire side drew 3-3 away to 2nd-place Bemerton.
In Wessex Division 1, 5th-placed Newport face league newcomers Fleetlands at Smallbrook. Having lost their previous 3 games, Fleetlands picked up all 3 points against Petersfield last weekend, moving them up to 9th in the table. The Port come into the game off the back of 6 straight wins. They have the highest points-per-game ratio of any team in their division: 2.57.
The County Town club have 3 and 4 games in hand over the top 2 in the table. A win could see them rise as high as 2nd.
Also in Division 1, draw specialists, 3rd-from-bottom East Cowes Vics, take on midtable Petersfield Town. Vics have won 1, drawn 1, and lost 1 on the road this season; the Rams have already lost twice at home. However, Petersfield have beaten Newport 2-0 at home in cup competitions on 2 occasions this year and therefore cannot be underestimated.
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 15th October
Premier Division
Cowes Sports v Hythe & Dibden (15:00)
Division One
Newport (IoW) v Fleetlands (15:00)
Petersfield Town v East Cowes Victoria (14:30)
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 15th October
Harwoods Garage Isle of Wight Senior Gold Cup – 1st Round
Bembridge v Binstead & COB
West Wight v ECS
Isle of Wight Junior ‘A’ Cup
East Cowes Vics Reserves v Carisbrooke United
Newchurch v Ventnor
Northwood St Johns Reserves v ECS Reserves
Sandown & Lake Reserves v AFC Wootton
Seaview v Brading Town Reserves
Harwoods Renault Division 1
Brading Town v Ryde Saints
Oakfield v Cowes Sports Reserves
Shanklin v Whitecroft & Barton Sports
Vectis v Sandown & Lake
Harwoods Renault Division 2
High Park v Yarmouth & Calbourne
Niton Community v Osborne Coburg
Harwoods Renault Combination 1
Binstead & COB v Bembridge
Whitecroft & Barton Sports v Oakfield
No Fixture: Vectis & West Wight
Harwoods Renault Combination 2
AFC Wootton v Newchurch
Osborne Coburg v Niton Community
Ryde Saints v Bembridge ‘A’
Fixtures courtesy of IOW DFA
