Newport IW will be looking to return to winning ways today (Saturday) as they welcome struggling Totton & Eling to the Zilch Waste Stadium.
Currently sitting in the final Wessex League Division One play-off spot, Port have won 5 of their last 6 league games and will be aiming to continue that form this afternoon.
There are fitness concerns for Matt Benford and Joe Hancott after both were forced off last weekend, but the duo are expected to be included in today’s matchday squad. In this fixture last season, Newport recorded a convincing 5-1 win, with forward Ji Nash scoring a hat-trick.
Port manager Joe Butcher has said:
“There’s no such thing as an easy game!
“If we turn up with that attitude, we’ll get beat. They drew with Cove midweek and were only beaten on penalties in the Vase, so they are no slouches. I’m expecting a difficult game.”
In the top flight of Wessex League football, Cowes Sports travel to northwest Hampshire to take on 4th-placed Andover New Street.
After a strong start to the season, the Westwood Park outfit have won just 1 of their last 5 league matches. Goals have been hard to come by, with Cowes scoring only 12 times in 9 fixtures so far.
The Yachtsmen will take confidence from last season’s meeting with Andover, which ended in a 2-0 away win thanks to goals from Jordan Browne and Jared Tout-Walters. Cowes also won away at New Street during the 2023/24 campaign.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division, East Cowes Vics will be hoping to fare better than their cross-Medina rivals when they visit Hythe & Dibden – who earlier this week beat Cowes 3-1.
The Vics were 2-1 up in their midweek clash against Hamble Club when the match was abandoned following a serious injury to Monks forward Leo Taylor.
Alex Smith’s side will look to build on last weekend’s away victory at New Milton Town when they take to the pitch at the Hythe Garage Stadium.
Isle of Wight football fixtures for Saturday 25th October
Games to kick off at 14:00
Hampshire Vase
East Cowes Victoria Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
Division 1
High Park v Bembridge & Vectis
Northwood SJ v Oakfield
Ventnor v Shanklin
West Wight v Brading Town
W&B v Osborne Coburg
Division 2
Newport Reserves v Pan Community
Sandown & Lake v ECS
Seaview v Newchurch
Combination 1
West Wight Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
Bembridge & Vectis Reserves v West Wight Reserves
High Park Reserves v Sandown & Lake Reserves
Oakfield Reserves v W&B Reserves
Combination 2
Binstead & COB Reserves v Sandpwn & Lake A
Newchurch Reserves v Ryde Saints Reserves
Ventnor A v Oakfield A
West Wight A v High Park A
