Gold Cup holders Newport overcame a spirited Shanklin side at Westwood Park to reach the final of the Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup yesterday evening (Tuesday).
Shanklin battled bravely throughout the game before conceding a goal 10 minutes from full time that put them out of the competition.
The Blues began the game brightly with the dual-signed Aaron Burford putting the Island League side into the lead after just 5 minutes with a powerful header (0-1).
It was another dual signed player – Ji Nash – who equalized for the County Town club with a spectacular 25-yard strike into the top left corner of the goal (1-1).
The Port dominated possession but were limited by a stubborn Shanklin defence to long-range efforts, which Shanklin goalkeeper Linington dealt with comfortably. Shanklin, however, always looked dangerous on the break with Nicky Vyse coming close to scoring 3 minutes from the half time interval when he was unable to get past Port ‘keeper Pitman in a 1-on-1 situation.
The 1st half ended with Connor Kelly blasting the ball over the crossbar from a promising position.
Half time: Newport IoW 1-1 Shanklin
Newport dominated the 2nd half but were thwarted by a well-organised Shanklin defence until 10 minutes from full time.
The Port brought on powerful striker Jordan Browne early in the 2nd half but still made little headway against the Island League side.
In the 63rd minute, Connor Kelly shot just past the left post. 2 minutes later, Joe Craig hoofed the ball over the crossbar. In the 74th, Jordan Cook was booked for a foul on the edge of the Shanklin penalty area, with Josh Younie sending the resulting spot kick into the Shanklin wall.
The breakthrough for the County Town club came in the 80th minute from a towering header from Ryan Oatley from a corner from the left (2-1).
The Island champions were very unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty in the 2nd minute of injury time when the dangerous Nicky Vyse was brought down just inside the Newport penalty area, but no penalty was forthcoming from referee Callum McFarlane.
Full time: Newport IoW 2-1 Shanklin
Newport (IoW): Pitman, Boyd-Kerr, Hancott, Colson, Oatley, Triggs, Kelly, Younie, Butcher, Craig, Nash Subs: Browne, Malin, Pearce, Reynolds, Chapman
Shanklin: Linington, Wilson, Smythers, Watterson, Newnham, Gregory, Cook, Oatley, Vyse, Burford, Carter-Knight Subs: Turner, Sanderson, Young, Drew, Hill
Attendance: 312
Newport will meet either West Wight or Cowes in the Gold Cup final. The 2nd semi-final is to be played at Beatrice Avenue on Wednesday (12th April)
ANDOVER TOWN 7-1 EAST COWES VICS
In the other game featuring an Isle of Wight Wessex League side, an under-strength East Cowes Vics side went down 7-1 to Andover Town in North Hampshire.
Vics still require a single point from their remaining 4 games to secure their Wessex League future, although relegation now appears to be only a mathematical possibility.
The game was marred by a head injury to Vics player Tyler Greenslade, forcing a long 1st half delay.
The scorers for Andover Town were Josh Bertie (X4) and Ryan Griffiths (X3). Aidan Radford grabbed the consolation goal for Vics.
Vics next play Newport in the big Island derby at Smallbrook Stadium at 15:00 on Friday afternoon (7th April)
Wessex Division 1 table below:
