Division 2 leaders Pan Sports beat an East Cowes Vics Reserves side by a single goal at Beatrice Avenue on Wednesday evening.
Both teams had their shirts sponsored by the Domino’s Pizza chain.
The 2 sides had already met 3 times this season with Pan winning all previous encounters by a narrow margin. Pan had beat Vics 7-5 in the corresponding fixture at Downside as well as knocking the East Cowes side out of Junior ‘A’ and Memorial Cups by a 3-2 score line on both occasions.
Pan had scored 83 goals in league games in the season to date and are hoping to hit the 100-mark by the end of the campaign. Former Newport player Mark Taylor has struck 32 of these goals despite missing several games through injury.
The young East Cowes Vics side fielded 7 players with Wessex League experience, including 3 16-year-olds: Kade Woodford, George Terry and Jake McNaney.
This was a game of many chances for both sides but few goals. Sam Cant struck 1st for Vics in the 5th minute but had his goal controversially ruled offside. Pan replied with a Ross Lacey effort a minute later that flew over the crossbar. Robbie Shepherd then wasted the 1st of his numerous opportunities to score for Pan when his shot skimmed the crossbar.
In the 22nd minute, Vics defender Shay Phillipson was forced to leave the pitch with a knee injury to be replaced by Josh Vaughan.
Pan continued to pepper the Vics goal with shots but still failed to hit the back of the net. On the half hour mark, the luckless Robbie Shepherd had a shot hit the Vics crossbar before a further effort was stopped on the Vics goal line. In the 42nd minute, Pan’s Jack Davies also saw an attempt blocked on the goal line.
As the 1st half drew to a close, Charlie Southcott had an opportunity to put the home side into the lead, but his goal attempt flew across the goal for a throw in. Vics’ James Turner then had his chance to break the deadlock go inches over the crossbar.
Half time: East Cowes Vics Reserves 0-0 Pan Community
The only goal of the game came 3 minutes after the half time break when Jack Davies curled the ball past Vics keeper Ben Woodford from an acute angle (1-0).
Pan continued to press with Robbie Shepherd forcing a good stop from Vics keeper Ben Woodford in the 52nd minute, Ross Lacey having the ball twice cleared off the line in a goalmouth scramble in the 56th minute and then having a goal disallowed in the 59th.
For Vics, Sam Cant saw a free kick scrape past the upright from a free kick in the 58th minute and James Turner had a close-range effort saved by the feet of Joe Williams in the 62nd minute.
The game became fractious in the closing stages of the game with Coner Lyon lucky not to be sent off for Vics for a horror tackle 10 minutes from time.
Pan should have finished the game with a 2-goal advantage, but Scott Wilkinson missed a golden opportunity to score in the 3rd minute of injury time.
Full time score: East Cowes Vics Reserves 0-1 Pan Community
East Cowes Vics Reserves: B Woodford, Phillipson, K Woodford, Terry, McNaney, White, Cant, Sheerin, Southcott (c), Haylor, Turner. Subs: Harvey, Lyon, Vaughan
Pan Community: J Williams, S Shepherd, Hatton, S Williams, Piper, Dunkling, Gwilliam, R Shepherd, Taylor, Davies, Lucas. Subs: Wilkinson, Case, Thorne
After the game, Pan co-manager John Sivier said:
“This was another good contest, and Vics made us work hard for the win. They are the hardest team we have played on the Island.”
For East Cowes Vics, manager Stuart Simmonds said:
“It was a very closely contested game. This is the 3rd time we’ve lost to Pan by the odd goal. But if we’d taken our chances, it would have been a different story.”
Pan’s win leaves them in 1st place in Division 2 with 46 points from 17 games, 6 points ahead of 2nd-placed East Cowes Sports.
East Cowes Vics Reserves are 9th, with 29 points from 20 games.
