Pan Community beat East Cowes Sports at the GKN Sports Ground to reach the next round of the Island Echo Challenge Cup on Saturday (26th November).
Ash Gulliver opened the scoring for Pan in the 9th minute through a far post header (0-1).
Robbie Shepherd then doubled the lead for the Newport side with a further header in the 17th minute (0-2).
Mark Taylor hit the post for Pan before a Josh Gwilliam penalty gave the away side a 3-goal advantage (0-3).
In the 25th minute, Max Foreman pulled a goal back for the home side with a shot to the left side of Joe William’s goal (1-3).
5 minutes before the interval, Mark Taylor restored Pan’s 3-goal advantage with a header into the top right corner of the goal (1-4).
Half time: East Cowes Sports 1-4 Pan Community
In the 2nd half, ECS reduced the deficit to 2 goals through a further Max Foreman effort in which he sent the ball flying over Joe Williams’ head with a shot from outside the penalty area (2-4).
The East Cowes side came close to reducing the deficit to a single goal with a shot that Joe Williams somehow tipped over the crossbar.
However, Pan also had plenty of chances to further extend their lead in the 2nd half with Lenny Shepherd having a shot cleared off the goal line, and Mark Taylor and Ross Lacey narrowly missing scoring opportunities.
Full time: East Cowes Sports 2-4 Pan Community
After the game, Pan manager Stewart Shepherd – whose 3 sons Sam, Robbie and Lenny all played – said:
“This was some of the best football we’ve played all season. However, I suspect players on both sides may have been suffering hangovers after the England game last night.”
This Friday (2nd December) will be the funeral of former Pan manager Steve Case, who was a very highly respected figure in Isle of Wight football.
Anyone wishing to pay their respects to ‘Caser’ can do so at Downside at 13:30 where the Pan players will form a guard of honour and balloons will be released in his memory.
