All 3 Isle of Wight Wessex League sides are playing their final home league games this season today (Tuesday).
Cowes Sports entertain 3rd-placed Stoneham at Westwood Park.
The Yachtsmen have already lost 3 times to the Purples this season, twice at Stoneham Lane in the Wessex League Cup and Hampshire Senior Cup as well as in the corresponding Wessex League game at Westwood Park.
Cowes are now mathematically certain of retaining their Wessex Premier status as the clubs in 18th and 19th positions – Pagham and Blackfield & Langley – play each other. It would therefore be impossible for both clubs to overtake the Island side.
Kick-off at /Westwood Park is at 19:45.
Wessex Premier table below:
In Wessex Division 1, Newport face 15th-placed Whitchurch United at Smallbrook.
The Port now have no chance of winning Division 1 and obtaining automatic promotion. However, the County Town club are certain to qualify for the promotion playoffs.
The sides finishing 2nd and 3rd will have home advantage in the semi-finals of the playoffs. Newport currently lie in 4th place, 1 point below 2nd-placed New Milton Town and 3rd-placed Hamworthy Recreation. However, the Port have 1 game in hand over the 2 teams above them in the league table.
Were the Port to finish 2nd, bogey team Petersfield Town – a side they have already lost 4 times to in league and cup competitions – would be their opponents.
Kick-off at Smallbrook is also at 19:45.
Also in Wessex Division 1, East Cowes Vics welcome 12th-placed Verwood Town to Beatrice Avenue.
Vics are already mathematically certain of avoiding relegation.
It has been a very successful 2nd half to the season for Vics under new manager Alex Smith. When Alex took over in December, Vics were 2nd-from-bottom, having only won 1 game in the season up until that point.
Kick off at Beatrice Avenue is at the later time of 20:00.
Wessex Division 1 table below:
In the big game for Island League sides on Wednesday evening, Whitecroft & Barton Sports take on Brading Town at Sandy Lane in the semi final of the Island Echo Challenge Cup.
The winners will meet either Shanklin or West Wight in the final. The 2nd semi final at the County Ground is scheduled for Thursday evening.
In the semi final of the Junior ‘A’ Cup, Wootton face Yarmouth & Calbourne at Wootton Rec also on Wednesday evening.
Yarmouth & Calbourne have been reinstated in the competition following the disqualification of W&B and High Park due to both sides fielding ineligible players.
The winners of the semi final will go on to face Ventnor in the final of the competition.
In Division 2, Ventnor will win the league and achieve automatic promotion to Division 1 if they beat Osborne Coburg at Watcombe Bottom on Wednesday evening.
Wessex League fixtures for Tuesday 18th April
Premier Division
Cowes Sports v AFC Stoneham (ko 19:45)
Division One
Newport (IoW) v Whitchurch United (ko 19:45)
East Cowes Victoria v Verwood Town (ko 20:00)
Isle of Wight football fixture for Tuesday 18th April
Combination 1
Brading Town v Sandown & Lake (ko 19:00)
Isle of Wight football fixtures for Wednesday 19th April
The Island Echo Challenge Cup Semi-Final
Whitecroft & Barton Sports v Brading Town (ko 18:00)
The Ken Morris Junior A Cup Sponsored by Harwoods Renault Saturday League – Semi-Final
AFC Wootton v Yarmouth & Calbourne (ko 18:00)
Division 1
ECS v Oakfield
Ryde Saints v Northwood St Johns
Sandown & Lake v Bembridge
Division 2
Ventnor v Osborne Coburg
Division 1 and 2 games kick off at 18:00
