Cowes Sports produced one of their finest performances under Mark Woodhouse to end Hamworthy Recreation’s unbeaten league record this afternoon (Saturday).
The Yachtsmen returned across the Solent with all 3 points after a resolute display against a Hamworthy side who had gone through their opening 8 Wessex Premier Division games without defeat.
Cowes struck first in the 17th minute when Scott McFarlane put the visitors ahead (0-1).
The afternoon then took on added significance for John McKie when Cowes were awarded a penalty. The prolific striker calmly converted from the spot to double the visitors’ advantage (0-2).
Hamworthy responded, with Rudd sending a shot narrowly wide as the hosts sought a route back into the contest.
They found one in the 32nd minute when Ollie Davies beat Ed Hatt to halve the deficit (1-2), before Long headed narrowly over as Hamworthy threatened to restore parity before the interval.
Half Time: Hamworthy Recreation 1-2 Cowes Sports
Hamworthy continued to press after the restart. Long headed the ball into the path of Broadley, but Hatt read the danger and was quickly off his line to reach it first.
Roberts then weaved his way through the Cowes defence before finding Rudd, whose shot was blocked as the hosts continued their search for an equaliser.
Cowes weathered the pressure before another opportunity arrived at the opposite end when the referee awarded the Yachtsmen their 2nd penalty following a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge inside the area.
McKie again made no mistake from 12 yards, restoring Cowes’ 2-goal advantage (1-3) and making a piece of club history in the process.
The striker had begun the afternoon on 210 goals and tied for 2nd place on Cowes Sports’ all-time scoring list. His brace took his Yachtsmen tally to 212, moving him clear into 2nd place behind record goalscorer George Reader.
Hamworthy came close to reducing the deficit when Ash Pope struck the crossbar, before Hatt produced an excellent save to deny a well-struck effort from Long.
The Cowes keeper was called upon again to keep out Pope as the Yachtsmen successfully defended their advantage and became the 1st side to beat Hamworthy Recreation in the league this season.
Full Time: Hamworthy Recreation 1-3 Cowes Sports
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Flood, Dempsey, Chase, Oatley (c), J. Mumford, Colson, Phillips, McFarlane, McKie, Marsek. Subs: Carter-Knight, Arnold, T. Mumford, Ince, Stuber.
Attendance: 110.
After the game, Cowes manager Mark Woodhouse said:
“That was one of the best performances from one of my teams. It was one of those days when we needed to be really resolute and play to the plan.
“I knew this performance was in them. When we got our chances, we took them. We were really ruthless.”
The victory leaves Cowes 11th in the Wessex Premier Division with 14 points from 9 games, only 4 points behind 6th-placed Laverstock & Ford with a game in hand. Hamworthy remain 3rd despite suffering their 1st league defeat of the season.
Cowes return to league action on Tuesday 29th September when they welcome Hamble Club to the Diverse Marine Stadium (19:45).
VICS TWICE FIGHT BACK TO EARN POINT AGAINST DOWNTON
East Cowes Vics twice came from behind and struck the crossbar late on as they battled to a 2-2 draw with Downton.
Vics welcomed Downton to the J.A. Dempsey Community Stadium, with joint managers Alex Smith and Elliot Wheeler facing a selection headache. Liam Triggs had joined Wheeler and Jordan Chapman on the injury list, while Charlie Haward was unavailable.
After a cagey opening, Josh Neale fired Vics’ first effort over in the 11th minute before Charlie Hart saw a shot blocked 4 minutes later, with Liam Newbold’s powerful effort from the rebound deflected over.
Newbold was then needed at the other end, heading Owen Fee’s effort off the line in the 17th minute. However, from the resulting corner Ronan Clancy bundled the ball home to put Downton ahead (0-1).
Fee almost doubled the visitors’ advantage in the 28th minute when he spotted George Bridi off his line and tried his luck from 35 yards, but the Vics goalkeeper recovered to save.
Vics levelled in emphatic fashion in the 35th minute. Neale drove to the edge of the Downton box before smashing a superb 18-yard strike home (1-1).
Half Time: East Cowes Vics 1-1 Downton
Vics suffered another injury setback when Newbold was unable to return for the 2nd half, but they should have taken the lead within seconds of the restart when Neale was sent through on goal and fired over.
Instead, Downton went back in front a minute later when Fee’s long-range effort somehow squirmed underneath Bridi (1-2).
Vics responded within 2 minutes. Substitute Will Bridi powered into the penalty area and was brought down, with the referee pointing to the spot. Downton goalkeeper Heath Bartram was booked following his attempts to unsettle Jake Wright, who smashed an unstoppable penalty into the top corner (2-2).
Bridi almost completed the turnaround 2 minutes later but fired narrowly wide from 8 yards.
Both sides continued searching for a winner, and Vics came agonisingly close in the 83rd minute when Gabe Wall’s powerful effort thundered against the crossbar.
Neither side could find the decisive goal, leaving Vics with a point after twice fighting back from behind.
Full Time: East Cowes Vics 2-2 Downton
East Cowes Vics: G. Bridi, Snow, Newbold, West, Yates, Wright, Dyer, Boyd-Kerr, Wall, J. Neale, Hart. Subs: C. Neale, Mooney, Weeks, Barnes, W. Bridi.
Attendance: 194
Man of the Match: Toby Snow.
After the game, joint manager Elliot Wheeler said:
“It was a good game of football. Two decent sides who battled well. On reflection, the draw was a fair result, but it could have gone either way.
“I’m still very disappointed with the goals that we conceded, but the way we responded to going behind twice was really positive.”
The draw leaves East Cowes Vics 17th in the Wessex Premier Division with 10 points from 9 games.
