East Cowes Victoria take on Cowes Sports at 15:00.
The 2 sides last met at the Zilch Waste Stadium on Boxing Day in front of the Wessex League’s largest crowd of the season: 812. Will today’s attendance at Beatrice Avenue be even greater?
The match promises to be a memorable encounter with the Medina Marching Band providing the half time entertainment. Fans of both clubs are encouraged to arrive early to avoid lengthy queues. The previous Clasicowes game saw some supporters miss the first quarter hour due to the size of the crowd.
Vics edged the corresponding fixture by the only goal of the game, with Jake Wright scoring the decisive goal. Earlier in the season, the Yachtsmen had knocked their East Cowes rivals out of the Wessex League Cup by the best of 3 goals.
Both sides will be missing their No9s from their previous league encounter. Jordan Browne – who played for Cowes on Boxing Day – has returned to Newport, while Jake Scrimshaw departed from Vics after being substituted in the earlier encounter.
There is very little to choose between the 2 sides with Vics 3 points ahead in the Wessex Premier. The result will do much to determine which of the 2 Cowes teams finishes the season in a higher position.
Current form has been poor for both sides, with Vics winning 1, drawing 1 and losing 4 of their last 6 games and Cowes drawing 3 and losing 3 of their last 6.
Cowes manager Mark Woodhouse says:
“It’s another great occasion for island football. Obviously, fitness levels are a factor. The boys have put in an enormous shift recently and will have to again next week with Tuesday/Thursday to follow after the game today.
“We hope a big crowd turns out to follow both sides, and we are excited to enjoy what we hope will be an exciting game.
“There is not trophy for finishing higher in the table though. We have great priorities, and we set those early in the season to try to win a trophy.”
For East Cowes Vics, manager Alex Smith has said:
“These derby games are always important – they are the showpiece games of Isle of Wight football and they’re proud occasions for all involved. They’re games to look forward to and they rightly gain a lot of traction and attention.
“If my maths is correct, I believe I’ve been involved in 13 derby games during my tenure, both against Cowes and Newport – those games have been attended by an incredible 6,738 people, an average of over 500 per game.
“Over the last few years, the level of interest in non-league has steadily increased and that’s evident to see on the Island. Our three Wessex clubs are all in very strong positions in their own ways and hopefully we’ll see a great occasion on Good Friday.
“Both clubs have a pretty gruelling schedule from now until the end of the season and there’s obviously an interesting battle between us and Cowes because of our closeness in the table.
“I think the most important thing is to praise the commitment, time and energy delivered by all the players, staff and volunteers who travel to the mainland so regularly at particularly challenging hours of the day to deliver for their clubs. It’s a huge commitment and everyone who turns out regularly for their club during such a tough schedule is commendable.”
In Wessex Division 1, 7th-placed Newport travel to 4th-placed Folland Sports tomorrow (Saturday).
The ‘6-pointer’ may help determine which of the two teams end the season in the playoff positions.
Port are currently 3 points behind Yateley United but have 2 games in hand on the team currently occupying the 4th play off place.
The County Town club have been in excellent form of late, with just 1 defeat in their last 17 games.
The corresponding clash between the 2 sides at the Zilch Waste Stadium in December saw Follands win 2-4.
Manager Joe Butcher says:
“About as difficult a game as you can get really but like always will go there trying to get a positive result.
“We have picked up some injuries, but we’ve got a big week coming up games wise.
Last time we’d barely played in like 2 months and had lost sharpness and match fitness.
“We’ve lost once in 17 games, so we can beat anyone in the league.
“Follands also lost their star striker which should help and opens the door up for Ji (Nash) to win top scorer.”
In Isle of Wight football, Saturday’s big game is the clash of the top 2 sides in Harwoods Division 1 – W&B and West Wight – at Sandy Lane.
The two teams are currently level on points, but unbeaten Whitecroft & Barton have 2 games in hand on West Wight.
West Wight lead the table on goal difference.
Isle of Wight football fixtures for Saturday 4th April
Junior B Semi Final
High Park A v Sandown & Lake A
Harwoods Division 1
Oakfield v Brading Town
W&B v West Wight
Division 2
Binstead & COB v Ryde Saints
East Cowes Vics Reserves v Newchurch
ECS v Sandown & Lake
Newport Reserves v Niton
Combination 1
Brading Town Reserves v W&B Reserves
High Park Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
Osborne Coburg Reserves v Sandown & Lake Reserves
West Wight Reserves v ECS Reserves
Combination 2
Oakfield A v Bembridge & Vectis A
Ryde Saints Reserves v Newchurch Reserves
