East Cowes Victoria took a point against Totton & Eling with a goal deep in 2nd half injury time – their 3rd successive draw.
The Millers appeared the stronger side in the first half ,although Vics had their opportunities to take the lead.
The Victorians’ first scoring opportunity fell to Charlie Hart in the 12th minute, whose shot sailed just wide. Totton & Eling centre forward Harry Vidler should have opened the away side’s account on 19 minutes, but put his effort wide when it appeared easier to score. The Millers’ Adam Woodcock then had an effort deflected just past the upright.
The home side had their chances, with full back Toby Snow hitting a powerful 25-yard strike that appeared destined to hit the back of the net, which Millers keeper Harvey Bartlett somehow tipped over the crossbar. Vics midfielder Jacob Reynolds was unlucky on 26 minutes, seeing his thunderbolt bounce off the crossbar.
The away side finished the first half with a flurry of shots. Vics keeper Alex Ram did well to keep out an Adam Pattinson header on 44 minutes. Ram then denied the Millers’ No 9 for the 2nd time in the game.
However, on the stroke of half time, Harry Vidler sent a curled a shot past Ram to give the away side a goal advantage (0-1).
Half time: East Cowes Victoria 0-1 Totton & Eling
Following Alex Smith’s half time team talk, Vics upped the tempo in the 2nd half.
Just shy of the hour mark, Vics equalised when Toby Snow sent an incisive cross into the penalty area, which Caleb Neale converted with his second attempt (1-1).
The Victorians were now in the ascendancy. Centre forward Scott Jones volleyed over. Then, Charlie Hart shot just wide. Jones sent a further strike past the upright.
4 minutes from full time, Vics conceded a penalty when Aedan Coode was adjudged to have fouled a Millers player while he was shielding the ball out of play. Adam Woodcock stepped up to wrong-foot Alex Ram and put Totton & Eling into the lead for the 2nd time in the game (1-2).
However, Vics had the final word when a Toby Snow cross fell for Scott Jones at the far post, who bundled the ball home in a goalmouth scramble in the 5th minute of injury time (2-2).
Full time: East Cowes Victoria 2-2 Totton & Eling
East Cowes Victoria: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Wheeler, Boyd-Kerr, Reynolds, Coode, Jones, Hart, C. Neale Subs: Sullivan, Voller, Mazambara, Turner, Chapman
After the game, Vics manager Alex Smith expressed his astonishment at the penalty decision given against his side.
Alex said:
“It was the most baffling refereeing decision I’ve ever seen in my life. The referee has made an unbelievable misjudgement and given a penalty for absolutely nothing at all that no one’s appealed for.
“It was absolutely crazy and it killed the game.”
“For us to fight back and salvage a point from there was pretty good, but the decision was bonkers.”
However, a significant number of spectators – including a few Vics supporters – saw the penalty decision as correct.
East Cowes Victoria remain 4th in Wessex Division 1 with 64 points from 33 games, 13 points behind leaders New Milton Town but 11 points ahead of Ringwood Town, their closest rivals for a playoff place.
