ISLE OF WIGHT WESSEX FOOTBALL ROUND UP: JACOB SCORES ‘YAKTRICK’ AS VICS KNOCK BLUEBIRDS FOR 6

A Jacob Reynolds hat trick and a brace from new signing Jez Conway saw East Cowes Vics demolish Andover Town at Beatrice Avenue this afternoon (Saturday). Vics started strongly, Ji Nash coming close on 3 minutes, with the keeper making a fingertip save. Jordi Chapman’s effort from 25 yards was well saved on 10 minutes. Andover’s first visit into Vics’ half on 16 minutes should have resulted in a goal, but Reggie Hodan’s effort was easily saved by Alex Ram. Vics should have been ahead on 32 minutes. Ji Nash was clean through on goal and could have pulled the ball back to Jez Conway, who was wide open in front of an open goal, but decided to shoot and the keeper saved. With the fog getting thicker, Vics took the lead in the 44th minute. Harry Taylor’s ball into the box was rifled home, with the crowd questioning who had scored, the players emerged from the mist with Jacob Reynolds celebrating (1-0). 3 minutes later, Vics were 2 up, Jez Conway on his debut finishing well with an unstoppable scissor kick (2-0). Half time: East Cowes Vics 2-0 Andover Town

The 2nd half got underway and within 2 minutes Vics had extended their lead, a great run down the left from Harrison Yates and a precision ball pulled back to Jez Conway, who tucked the ball away powerfully into the corner (3-0). Vics extended their lead further in the 55th minute. A run into the box from Jez Conway saw the striker upended, and the referee pointed straight to the spot, Jacob Reynolds put the penalty away, and vics were 4-0 up. Manager Alex Smith now had the opportunity to make several substitutions, but Vics were hungry for more, and Reynolds completed his hat trick on 65 minutes with a fine header from a corner (5-0). With the fog still hanging heavily across the Beatrice pitch, Adam Voller scored a cracking goal in the last minute to finish off a fine team display (6-0). Full time: East Cowes 6-0 Andover Town East Cowes Vics: Ram, Young, Yates, Reynolds, Chase, Chapman. Coode, Boyd-Kerr, Conway, Taylor, Nash Subs: Neale, Berry, Kirby, Voller, Mumford Vics’ victory leaves the East Cowes side in 9th place in Wessex Division 1 with 26 points from 15 games. This Wednesday (6th December), Vics will hope to edge even closer to the play off positions when they travel to Fawley. In the other Wessex Division 1 game scheduled for today, Newport were unable to get to their game at Romsey in time for kick off, and the game was postponed.

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YACHTSMEN SAIL THROUGH THICK FOG TO VICTORY

Cowes Sports have edged closer to the play off positions after a single-goal victory over Brockenhurst. The game began competitively, with both sides striking the woodwork in the opening exchanges. The Yachtsmen took the lead in the 27th minute through an Ollie West header (1-0), which proved to be the only goal of the game. Full time: Cowes Sports 1-0 Brockenhurst Cowes Sports: Hatt, White, West, Triggs, Oatley, Colson, Phillips, Cook, McFarlane, McKie (c), Kelly Subs: Mumford, Carter-Knight, Hancott, Hayward, Neale The Yachtsmen’s win leaves them 10th in the Wessex Premier with 22 points from 14 games, 4 points behind Brockenhurst in the 4th play off place but with 2 games in hand. On Tuesday, Cowes travel to 18th-placed Blackfield & Langley. Main report written with kind assistance of Russ Chapman