Cowes Sports swapped last weekend’s goal-fest for a narrow win over Christchurch to reach the 1st Round Proper this afternoon (Saturday).
Just 7 days after the Yachtsmen swept Christchurch aside 5–1, the Wessex Premier Division’s bottom side returned to Westwood Park determined not to suffer a repeat.
Christchurch, without a league win from their opening 7 games, adopted a far more defensive approach, sitting deep and allowing Cowes plenty of possession while denying the home side the space they had enjoyed the previous weekend.
The 113 spectators at Westwood Park were treated to nothing like the entertainment of 7 days earlier, with Christchurch’s tactics turning the return meeting into a far more attritional affair.
Cowes eventually found the breakthrough when the ball was played through the Christchurch defence for McFarlane, who got across his defender before being brought down inside the penalty area.
McKie stepped up and calmly passed the resulting spot kick into the bottom-right corner to put the Yachtsmen ahead (1–0).
It has been 8 goals in 6 starts for evergreen striker John McKie, continuing his impressive start to the season. He is now joint second in the list of all time scorers for Cowes with 210 goals in total.
There was precious little entertainment thereafter. Cowes created further opportunities in the 2nd half, but Christchurch continued to defend in numbers and made life difficult for the home side.
Neither side managed a goal from open play, with McKie’s penalty proving enough to send Cowes through.
Full Time: Cowes Sports 1–0 Christchurch
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Flood, Dempsey, Chase, Oatley (c), Carter-Knight, Biggs, Cook, Phillips, McFarlane, McKie. Subs: J. Mumford, Marsek, West, Arnold, St John Biggs.
Man of the Match: Ollie Flood.
Manager Mark Woodhouse said Christchurch had presented his side with a completely different challenge from the one they faced a week earlier.
“Last week they came here to play. This week they did the complete opposite. They let us have the ball for long periods, sat in their half and made us ask different questions. We came up with the answer.
“We didn’t score lots of goals, but a cup is about getting through. That’s all you need to do in a cup. You just need to keep winning your games and you stay in it. There’s no goal difference at stake.
“I said to the boys, ‘Enjoy it as much as last week’, because it’s a win to get us through to the next round and that’s all we needed today.”
Cowes are the only Isle of Wight side through to the FA Vase 1st Round Proper. They return to Wessex Premier Division action on Tuesday, travelling across the Solent to Powder Monkey Park to face Fleetlands at 19:30.
PORT BOW OUT OF FA VASE AFTER PAGHAM DEFEAT
Newport’s FA Vase campaign ended at Nyetimber Lane as Pagham struck twice before the break and added a late 3rd.
Port travelled to West Sussex without attacking trio Reynolds, Kelly and Nash, while player-manager Joe Butcher named himself in the starting XI.
Newport had the wind at their backs in the opening half, but it was Pagham who made the breakthrough after 15 minutes. Horncastle converted from a corner to put the hosts ahead (1–0).
Port came within inches of levelling on 28 minutes when Jordan Browne’s header struck the post.
With only a single goal separating the sides, Newport were still firmly in the tie as the interval approached. However, Pagham doubled their advantage immediately before half time when the wind caught a cross from Rustell and carried the ball into the far corner (2–0).
Half Time: Pagham 2–0 Newport
The game produced few opportunities after the restart as Newport attempted to find a way back into the contest.
Butcher made his first changes shortly before the hour, sending on Brad Young and Jack Egerton-Read, before Kudzi Mazambara and Jez Conway were introduced around 10 minutes later.
Kai Grace was pushed forward onto the right as Port sought a route back into the game, with Mazambara testing his luck with a snapshot, but Newport were unable to reduce the deficit.
Pagham threatened to extend their lead on 85 minutes, only for Leon Pitman to produce an outstanding save to keep the score at 2–0.
The Newport goalkeeper was finally beaten for a 3rd time in the 89th minute when Crouch scored to complete the victory for the hosts (3–0).
Full Time: Pagham 3–0 Newport
Newport: Pitman; Grace, Thompsett, Hancott, Watterson, Holbrook, Myram, Walsh, Browne, Catania, Butcher. Subs: Young, Streeter, Egerton-Read, Mazambara, Conway.
With their FA Vase campaign now over, Port return to Wessex Division 1 action on Tuesday evening when they travel to Romsey Town.
