Wessex Premier title favourites Stoneham have ended the Yachtsmen’s recent run of good form with a winner in the 3rd minute of injury time.
This was a game in which the Isle of Wight’s sole Wessex Premier representatives dominated in terms of chances. But they were thwarted by a man-of-the-match performance by Stoneham keeper Callum Lee.
Cowes had 4 good 1st half scoring opportunities. In the 8th minute, Fin Phillips – playing in the unfamiliar position of centre forward – received the ball in the 6-yard box but couldn’t convert the chance. In the 18th minute, Lee was forced to dive at full stretch to save a George Carter-Knight special. In the 27th minute, Connor Kelly struck the ball just past the right post.
The Yachtsmen’s best chance came in 1st half injury time when a fierce Connor Kelly strike was parried for a corner by Lee.
Stoneham’s pacy front line also had their chances with Duarte Martins shooting over the crossbar on the half-hour mark and Hatt forced to save with his feet at the end of the half.
Half time: Cowes Sports 0-0 Stoneham
The Yachtsmen continued to batter the Purples in the 2nd half but without making the decisive breakthrough required.
Connor Kelly blasted the ball over the crossbar in the 48th. 2 minutes later, Lee stopped a powerful strike from McFarlane. In the 56th minute, Fin Phillips broke through but was foiled by Lee.
The final quarter of the game saw Max Draper make some attacking substitutions, throwing on John McKie, Jordan Cook and Jez Conway.
McKie made an impact in the final 10 minutes of full time. First, he set up Connor Kelly in the 6-yard box, who had his shot stopped on the goal line. Then, McKie shot inches wide. Finally, John just failed to make contact with a ball Kelly had fired across the face of the goal.
Meanwhile, the Stoneham attack had not gone absent without leave. In the 2nd minute of injury time, keeper Ed Hatt was forced to punch an attempted lob over the crossbar.
The sucker punch came in the 3rd minute of time added on with a last gasp strike for the visitors from Scott Hills from the edge of the penalty area (0-1).
Full time: Cowes Sports 0-1 Stoneham
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Mumford (Cook), West, Barron, Oatley, McFarlane (McKie), Triggs, Colson, Phillips (Neale), Carter-Knight (Conway), Kelly Sub not used: Catania
After the game, manager Max Draper said:
“It was a ‘smash and gab’ win for the away side. The Stoneham keeper put on a man-of-the-match performance.
“It was just one of those days.”
Cowes Sports defeat sees them drop from 3rd to 7th in the Wessex Premier with 10 points from 6 games.
VICS RETURN TO WINNING WAYS
East Cowes Vics beat 2nd-from-bottom Clanfield after falling behind in the 1st half.
Clanfield took a shock 19-mute lead through Fred Penfold (0-1). However, Josh Neale put the home side back on level terms with an injury time equaliser (1-1).
Ji Nash put the Vctorians in front 6 minutes after the half time break (2-1); Adam Voller then sealed victory for Vics with a further goal 6 minutes into injury time.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 3-1 Clanfield
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Berry, Mumford, Chapman, Holdsworth, Neale, Reynolds, Nash Subs: Hart, Young, Voller, Sanderson, Taylor
Vics’ win ends their 3-game winless run, leaving them in 6th place in Wessex Division 1 with 13 points from 6 games.
Brockenhurst Development 3-1 East Cowes Vics Development
Vics were beaten in the Hampshire Combination Football League Challenge Cup by higher league opposition. Vics were 3-0 down at half time before a Jayden Yates penalty reduced the deficit to 3-1.
1ST WIN ON THE ROAD FOR PORT
Newport secured their 1st away win of the season at Wessex Division 1 newcomers Cove.
The Port were unlucky not to have taken a 1st half lead when a Joe Butcher effort went through the Cove keeper’s hands. However, the ball was adjudged not to have crossed the line.
Cove then took the lead on the half hour mark through Kay Hampson (1-0), which they held until the half time break.
In the 2nd half, the Port equalised through Henry West (1-1) before taking the lead through Jordan Browne, who smashed in a Josh Younie effort that had cannoned off both posts (1-2).
Full time: Cove 1-2 Newport (IoW)
Newport: Pitman, Page, Oatley, West, McDonough, Pearce, Wright, Walsh, Browne, Butcher, Younie Subs: Muram, Bristow, Melton, Streeter (gk)
Port’s victory leaves them 10th in Wessex Division 1 with 10 points from 6 games.
Kelly can’t seem to put away chances against decent sides. Had he taken them, Cowes would have won. I think they are wasting some good players in the reserves.
Similarly Yates is wasted in Vics reserves team. They made heavy weather of beating Clanfield.
And Port, their new partially new team is surprising everyone. They are starting to be a handful in the league.