Newport have gone 6th in Wessex Division1 by beating Amesbury Town by the best of 3 goals in a physical game at Beatrice Avenue this afternoon (Saturday).
The Port began the game poorly, conceding a goal in the 10th minute when sloppy marking allowed Reece Daly to bundle the ball in off a corner after first bouncing off the crossbar (0-1).
The Wiltshire side came close to doubling their lead in the 25th minute but were denied by Port keeper Pitman, who made an excellent right-handed stop.
Ji Nash equalised for the home side 10 minutes from half time, scoring from an acute angle (1-1).
Half time: Newport IW 1-1 Amesbury Town
In the 2nd half, Nash had the opportunity to put the home side ahead in the 55th minute, but the Amesbury keeper managed to push the ball over the crossbar. Jez Conway had a further effort tipped over the bar, and the returning Harri Catania rattled the crossbar.
However, Nash managed to bag his brace from the penalty spot in 75th minute after substitute Kai Grace had been brought down (2-1).
Port preserved their lead for the remainder of the 90 minutes plus almost 10 minutes of stoppage time to keep all 3 points on the Isle of Wight.
Full time: Newport IW 2-1 Amesbury Town
Newport IW: Pitman, Walsh, Thompsett, Young, Watterson (c), Holbrook, Nash, Oatley, Conway, Catania, Butcher Subs: Goldberg, Grace, McDonough, linington Man-of-the-match: Jez Conway
Newport are now 5 points behind 5th-placed Hamworthy United but have a game in hand.
Ji Nash’s goals for Newport were his 99th and 100th in the Wessex League. He has made appearances for all Isle of Wight Wessex League clubs: Newport, Cowes Sports and East Cowes Victoria.
Ji Nash playing for Newport against East Cowes Vics below:
Also in Wessex Division 1, East Cowes Vics had their game at Alresford Town postponed. League leaders New Milton Town dropped 2 points with an away draw at 2nd-from-bottom Whitchurch United. This leaves Vics 12 points behind New Milton but with 4 games in hand.
Wessex Division 1 table (top 6) below:
YACHTSMEN SUFFER SINGLE GOAL DEFEAT TO STONEHAM
Cowes Sports were unable to recover from a 22nd minute goal scored by a strong Stoneham side.
The Yachtsmen began the game without captain John McKie and playmaker Fin Phillips, with centre forward Jordan Browne and full back Ryan Hughes dropping to the bench.
Cowes began the game brightly with Harrison Dempsey volleying the ball against the upright in the 5th minute. However, the Purples then put the home side under pressure with Lewis Nagle rattling the ball against the woodwork a minute later.
Controversy followed in the 10th minute when the Stoneham keeper Callum Lee handled a back pass without being penalised. In the 16th minute, Scott McFarlane came close to putting the Yachtsmen into the lead with a shot from close to the halfway line which Lee did well to stop crossing the line.
Duarte Martens headed Stoneham into the lead in the 22nd minute (0-1). Jim Orvis was unlucky not to have added a 2nd goal for the visitors a few minutes later when he saw his header bouncing off the crossbar.
Jared Tout-Walters found himself through for Cowes in the 34th minute but was brought down. The referee played advantage but booked the player responsible.
Half time: Cowes Sports 0-1 AFC Stoneham
The 2nd half was not a pleasant spectacle for the 162 home spectators, with Stoneham monopolising the possession and the Yachtsmen rarely venturing outside their own half.
The only chance for Cowes came in the 69th minute when Jared Tout-Walters shot narrowly wide. The Purples came close to adding a 2nd goal close to full time, but their striker blasted the ball wide in a 1-on-1 encounter with Ed Hatt.
Full time: Cowes Sports 0-1 AFC Stoneham
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Dempsey, Mumford, Chase, Oat5ley (c), Wright, Cook, Jackman, McFarlane, Tout-Walters, Marsek Subs: Carter-Knight, Browne, Hughes, Flood, Fever-Norton Man-of-the-match: Ryan Oatley
Defeat for the Yachtsmen leaves them14th in the Wessex Premier with 29 points from 24 games.
After the game, Cowes Sports joint manager Mark Woodhouse said:
“We knew Stoneham were going to be a very good side. We set up to try to thwart them. It’s frustrating for the fans sometimes.
“The shape was outstanding. The boys put in a serious shift. But we did not quite have the moments and the quality that we wanted.
“We’re proud of the shift the boys put in.”
