The Port won their 5th successive game; the Yachtsmen were destroyed by the Deans; draw specialists Vics drew again, on Saturday 8th October.
Vics welcomed Ash United to Beatrice Avenue for this Wessex league Division 1 game, with both sides sat in the bottom 4.
The 1st opportunity in the match came in the 7th minute for Vics captain Liam Newbold, who was flagged offside. There then followed half chances for Harrison Yates and Aiden White, but neither were taken.
In the 22nd minute, Ash took the lead against the run of play when a defensive error from Harrison Berry let in Ash centre forward George Hedley to score (0-1)
3 minutes later, Hedley could have doubled Ash’s lead but for a vital save from Vics ‘keeper Ram, who parried the ball with his feet. Vics’ best effort in the 1st half was a snapshot from Jordan Chapman in the 34th minute that flew just past the upright.
Half time: East Cowes Vics 0-1 Ash United
In the 54th minute, the lively Conor Lyon had a free kick parried by Ash keeper Giles, who pushed the ball out for a corner. The ball from resulting corner appeared to cross the goal line, but appeals from the Vics players were brushed aside by the assistant referee.
Vics equalised in the 63rd minute: a great effort from Charlie Marsek was saved by the Ash keeper, but Henry West knocked in the rebound (1-1).
6 minutes from full time, an awkward challenge from Vics defender Harrison Berry on Kareem Foster was deemed a foul by the referee, who immediately pointed to the penalty spot. From the resulting spot kick, Foster sent Ram the wrong way to restore the away side’s advantage (1-2).
At this late stage in the game, Vics had a sense of urgency that had sadly been lacking for most of the game. With just 2 minutes left on the clock, a long throw from Kade Woodford fell to the feet of Vics midfielder Coner Lyon, who blasted the ball into the back of the net from 2 yards (2-2).
A minute into injury time, a rash challenge from Harrison Yates on Ash’s skipper Ryan Green was deemed dangerous by the referee, who showed the Vics winger a straight red.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 2-2 Ash United
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Newbold (c), K. Woodford, Berry, White, West, Chapman, Lyon, Marsek, Snow, Yates Subs: Kilroy, Barros, Turner, Walsh, B. Woodford
After the game, Richie Woodburn did not want to talk to the press, but appeared incensed by some of the refereeing during the game – particularly the penalty decision – as there did not appear to have been any physical contact between the Vics defender and the Ash forward. He was also angered by some the colourful language used from the Ash United bench, for which he felt he would have been penalised had he said anything of a similar nature.
The draw leaves Vics 3rd-from-bottom in Wessex Division 1 with 8 points from 8 games. The East Cowes side have now drawn 5 of the 8 games they have played in the season to date.
Report written with kind assistance of Russ Chapman
Fawley 1-2 Newport IoW
Newport won their 5th game in succession and have maintained their 100% record in away games in the Wessex League this season.
Joe Craig opened the scoring in the 11th minute (0-1) and had 2 further good chances in a strong 1st half display. Connor Kelly and Josh Younie also came close to extending the County Town team’s lead in the 1st 45 minutes.
The Oilers equalized in the 67th minute (1-1). Craig scored the winning goal for the Port 6 minutes from full time (1-2). Connor Kelly came close to adding a 3rd for the Island side moments before the final whistle when he hit the Fawley upright.
Newport IoW: Pitman, Younie, Oatley, Hancott, Triggs (c), Barron, Kelly, Boyd-Kerr, Browne, Craig, Butcher Subs: Reynolds, McCormack (gk), Smith
The Port’s victory leaves them in 7th place in Wessex Division 1, with 15 points from 6 games and games in hand on all the clubs above them in the table. Newport’s points per game average of 2.5 is the highest in Wessex Division 1.
This Tuesday (11th October), Newport play Verwood Town at Smallbrook Stadium with a 19:15 kick off.
Video: Robert Lunn
Horndean 8-0 Cowes Sports
The Yachtsmen suffered an abject defeat at the hands of 4th-placed Horndean at Five Heads Park.
Zach Willett scored a hat-trick for the Deans: his 3rd Wessex treble against the Yachtsmen in as many games, having struck 3 times in last season’s 2 wins.
Willett’s first hat-trick was in a 0-9 away win at Westwood Park last October, which he followed up with 3 more goals in their 4-0 home win later in the season. Cowes have now conceded 21 times in their last 3 league games against Horndean without scoring a goal themselves..
The Yachtsmen’s defeat leaves the Cowes side 13th in the Wessex Premier with 10 points from 9 games.
