Hampshire Senior Cup 1st Round: Cowes Sports 5-3 Christchurch
Cowes Sports have earned themselves a lucrative tie against AFC Bournemouth at Westwood Park in September by beating Christchurch in an entertaining 8-goal thriller at Westwood Park.
Cowes manager Max Draper changed his forward line for the game against Christchurch, bringing in big Connor Furmidge as centre forward and playing Ji Nash to his right. The front 3 of McKie, a fitter Furmidge and Nash proved to be a potent striking force.
Christchurch began the brighter of the 2 sides and took the lead in the 14th minute when River Smith shot the ball past Cowes keeper Hatt from an acute angle (0-1)
Hatt injured himself in the opening exchanges and was forced to leave the field in the 28th minute, giving substitute keeper, 17-year-old Owen Denness, an opportunity to make his debut.
The tide turned in favour of the Yachtsmen in the 35th minute when Denness hoofed the ball up the field to powerful centre forward Connor Furmidge, who sent the ball past the Christchurch keeper after making a strong run from the middle of the park (1-1).
The home side had a lucky escape when Christchurch hit the crossbar in the 40th minute. The Yachtsmen then took the lead shortly before half time when a pass from Callum Chase found John McKie in the centre of the Christchurch half, who drove the ball into his opponents’ penalty area before placing the ball past the Christchurch keeper from 10 yards (2-1).
HT: Cowes Sports 5-3 Christchurch
Cowes began the 2nd half on the front foot with 3 good chances falling to centre forward Furmidge, which the big striker failed to convert. Then, in the 56th minute against the run of play, Christchurch equalised with a 5-yard header from Sam Chilman (2-2).
The Yachtsmen took the lead in the 77th minute after Connor Furmidge had a shot stopped on the goal line by the hand of a Christchurch defender. The referee appeared to have been unsighted and awarded a penalty after consulting the linesman. Confusion followed as the referee appeared uncertain as to the identity of the player who had committed the handball offence, eventually sending off the Christchurch No. 5. John McKie then coolly dispatched the resulting penalty to restore the Yachtsmen’s lead (3-2).
In the 79th minute, John McKie bagged his hat-trick with a spectacular finish from a tight angle into the roof of the Christchurch net (4-2).
Ethan Maddocks then gave the away side hope of an unlikely comeback with an 89th minute goal for the visitors (4-3). However, John McKie dashed any hopes the Dorset side may have had of levelling the scores when he chipped the ball over the Christchurch keeper in the 1st minute of extra time (5-3).
FT: Cowes Sports 5-3 Christchurch
Cowes Sports: Hatt, White, Chase, Conway, Cruise, Perrin, Mumford, Phillips. McKie. Furmidge, Nash Subs: Coode, McFarlane, Ashley, Pye-Poulter, Denness
After the match, the Cowes management team of Max Draper and assistant manager Alex Smith were keen to emphasise the team nature of the performance rather than the individual contribution of McKie. 17-year-old Owen Denness had a great debut for the 1st team with excellent distribution and pulled off some good saves against a team who were always an attacking threat. Connor Furmidge has improved his fitness and has the potential be a great asset to the side as centre forward.
However, 32-year-old former manager John McKie was yet again the architect of victory for the Yachtsmen. Without his lethal finishing skills the score would have been 1-3 to Christchurch rather than 5-3 to Cowes, and the Islanders would not be facing AFC Bournemouth in the next round.
After the match, manager Max Draper said:
“We could have been more clinical. We still have a lot of improvement to make.
“We are a young side. John (McKie) is the only player over 30.
“I was very pleased with the performance of young Owen Denness. Coming on cold as a keeper is the hardest thing in the world, but he stepped up to meet the challenge. I was also delighted with the way Connor Furmidge played tonight. He really has the bit between his teeth.
“Losing has been a habit at Westwood Park for years. Now, we are trying to make winning a habit.”
On the Yachtsmen’s chances against Hampshire Senior Cup holders AFC Bournemouth in the next round, Draper said:
“Football is football. Funny things happen.”
The Port are also through to the next round of the Hampshire Senior Cup after beating Combined Counties league side Cove 1-5 in North Hampshire. The scorers for Newport were: Jacob Reynolds, Connor Kelly, Jared Cousins, Josh Younie and Joe Butcher. The Port now travel to face Wessex Premier League side Blackfield & Langley in the next round.
Vics have made it a hat trick for Isle of Wight sides in the 1st round of the Hampshire Senior cup by beating fellow Wessex League 1 side Fawley on penalties. The full time score was 1-1 with Jimmi Burton on target for Vics. The East Cowes side now have a lucrative tie at Beatrice Avenue against National League Eastleigh in the next round.
