Bembridge & Vectis booked their place in the Memorial Cup semi-finals with a dominant 6-0 quarter-final victory over Osborne Coburg at Victoria Rec yesterday afternoon (Saturday).
B&V controlled much of the first half on a difficult surface but initially found Osborne Coburg determined opponents.
Michael Brown came close with a spectacular bicycle kick that flew narrowly over the crossbar, while Aaron Shepherd struck the bar as pressure steadily mounted.
The breakthrough finally arrived on 40 minutes. Sam Kirby received the ball to the left of the 6-yard box before firing across goal and into the net (0-1).
Just 2 minutes later Jamie Barratt doubled the advantage with a firm strike from the edge of the area that found the corner (0-2).
Half Time: Osborne Coburg 0-2 Bembridge & Vectis
Bembridge raised the tempo after the interval.
On 64 minutes Kirby struck from distance, his effort slipping under the goalkeeper’s body (0-3). In the same minute Michael Brown reacted quickest on the edge of the 6-yard box and fired into the roof of the net (0-4).
Kirby completed his hat-trick on 69 minutes with a magnificent individual goal, wrong-footing 2 defenders, rounding the keeper and calmly finishing (0-5).
Brown wrapped up the scoring on 86 minutes with a composed lob from the edge of the area (0-6).
Full Time: Osborne Coburg 0-6 Bembridge & Vectis
Osborne Coburg: Arnold, Flatman, Giacomelli, Glen, Hernes, Howarth, Johnson, McCarthy, Pengelly, Whorwood, Summers.
Bembridge & Vectis: Ballington, Barratt, Brown, Hutcheson, Kirby, Malin, Rayner, Scott-Jackson, Shaw, Shepherd, Sibbick.
After the game, Bembridge manager Justin Malin said:
“Really happy to progress into the semi final. It was hard to play on a very tough pitch and against a Coburg side that never gave up, but we showed some real quality at times to go on and win the game.”
In the Junior A Cup…
Niton 1-5 ECS
A Shaun Gulliver hat trick and Josh Richardson brace at Springhead saw East Cowes Sports through to the semi finals of the Junior A Cup at the expense of Niton.
Sandown & Lake 4-1 Newport Reserves
Sandown & Lake overcame a much improved Newport Reserve team at the Bay CE School thanks to a brace from Dylan Andrews and further goals from Jimmy Golding and Lewis Day.
Sandown & Lake Reserves 0-2 ECS Reserves
East Cowes Sports’ Reserve side also made their way through to the semi finals of the Junior A Cup thanks to a Frank Jones strike and an own goal.
Isle of Wight football fixtures for Saturday 28th February
Memorial Cup Quarter Final
Osborne Coburg 0-6 Bembridge & Vectis
Junior A Quarter Finals
Niton 1-5 ECS
Sandown & Lake 4-1 Newport Reserves
Sandown & Lake Reserves 0-2 ECS Reserves
Combination 1
Oakfield Reserves 2-2 Shanklin Reserves
W&B Reserves 6-1 High Park Reserves
Combination 2
Newchurch Reserves 0-3 Bembridge & Vectis A
