Cowes Sports and Newport IW kick off at Westwood Park and Beatrice Avenue at 15:00 this afternoon (Saturday).
In the Wessex Premier, the Yachtsmen will hope to maintain the momentum from last Saturday’s impressive victory over AFC Stoneham when they face 15th-placed Blackfield & Langley.
The Watersiders are currently on a poor run of form having lost their last 3 games.
Acting manager Ian Potts says of last weeks’ win and today’s match:
“The lads were great last week, but we have moved on now. Our focus has all this week been on the next game which is Blackfield and Langley.
“We’ve had a good week training again and hopefully we can carry on from last week. Every game at this level, you have to be on it and be ready to fight for everything to get a result.
“The lads will be ready and hopefully put in a good performance and get a result. We are slowly getting more injured players back and the squads getting stronger.”
Ian says of 3 games he’s been at the helm:
“I’m just taking each game as it comes. I am enjoying it, and the management team and lads have been brilliant since I’ve taken it on.”
On the opposite bank of the Medina, Newport will be hoping to avenge a home defeat when they take on Verwood Town for the 2nd time in a fortnight.
2 weeks ago, the Potters knocked Port out of the FA Vase with a narrow 0-1 win at Beatrice Avenue.
Can Newport do better this time?
Co-manager Joe Butcher says:
“Last time, I don’t think we moved the ball quick enough, and our final ball/decision making was off. We had a couple chances we should’ve taken then got punished with a defensive mistake and giving away a penalty.
Port are now 2 places and 3 points below the playoff places in Wessex Division 1, with games in hand on the teams above.
When asked where he expects his team to finish at the end of the season, Joe told Island Echo.:
“I think it’s too early to tell. Marty (Martin McDonough) and I targeted a better position then we had last year. There’s lots of factors that come into play, but if we keep key players fit, I think we can be in and around the playoff positions.
“A lot of teams seem to be coming to Beatrice avenue and being compact and sitting behind the ball so we need to find ways to break that down.”
Also in Wessex Division 1, East Cowes Victoria cross the Solent to face 14th-placed Fawley.
3rd-placed Vics have drawn their last 2; the Oilers have suffered 3 successive defeats.
Manager Alex Smith says of Saturday’s game:
“Fawley is a notoriously challenging place to visit. They’re a physical and competitive side, and if you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.
“Our squad are now in a place mentally where we genuinely relish these challenges, and we look forward to rising to the occasion.
“We’ve still got a number of key players unavailable, and the squad did a great job of pushing through the US Portsmouth game to earn a well deserved result.
“We’ve been clear about our ambitions to reach the Premier Division and so far have comfortably held our own against 2 teams from the league above – even though we’ve been assured the gap between divisions is absolutely huge.
“If we’re to fulfil our ambitions, difficult games like away at Fawley are vitally important.”
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 5th October
Wessex Premier
Cowes Sports v Blackfield & Langley
Division 1
Fawley v East Cowes Victoria
Newport IW v Verwood Town
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 5th October
Hampshire Trophy
Northwood SJ v W&B Sports
Hampshire Vase
West Wight Reserves v Niton Community
W&B Sports Reserves v Portchester Rovers
Challenge Cup
Bembridge v West Wight
Shanklin v Brading Town
Junior A
High Park v ECS (13:00)
Newport Reserves v Brading Town Reserves
High Park Reserves v Binstead & COB Reserves (16:30)
Harwoods Division 1
Binstead & COB v Vectis
Osborne Coburg v Ventnor
Division 2
Newchurch v Pan
Combination 1
ECS Reserves v Bembridge Reserves
Combination 2
High Park A v Niton Community Reserves
Ryde Saints Reserves v Sandown & Lake A
