PORT REACH GOLD CUP SEMIS AFTER EARLY SCARE AGAINST ISLAND LEAGUE VECTIS

Newport recovered from conceding an early goal to comfortably beat Island League Division 1 team Vectis FC in front of 263 spectators at Beatrice Avenue on Tuesday evening to reach the semi-final of the Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup. The Port started the game without experienced captain Martin McDonough and centre forward Jordan Browne. Vectis began strongly with Mason Wherry bundling the ball into the goal in the 2nd minute, only for his effort to be disallowed for an apparent foul on Port keeper Pitman. Flying Vectis winger Ben Cutts then made 2 strong attempts on goal: the 1st saved by Port keeper Pitman; the 2nd flying over the crossbar.

In the 6th minute, Cutts scored, sending a 20-yard wonder strike over Pitman and into the far corner of the goal (0-1). A disjointed Port side made little impression on a packed Vectis defence for the remainder of the 1st half. Josh Younie sent a shot wide and came close to scoring direct from a corner. The best chance fell to Joe Butcher, who found himself clean through, but Vectis keeper Ballington got the better of the Newport captain.

The County Town club did win a succession of corners. When it appeared their Island league opponents would reach half time with a goal advantage, Michael Thompsett rose above the Vectis defence to head in a corner at the far post in injury time (1-1).

Half time: Newport IW 1-1 Vectis Conceding immediately before the half time break is said to be the most dispiriting time in any game, and so it proved for Vectis. In the 49th minute, full back Thompsett put Port into the lead by bagging his brace after being set up by some skill from Joe Craig on the right (2-1). 5 minutes later, Craig turned from provider to scorer with a low shot from just outside the penalty area, which gave the Port a 2-goal cushion (3-1).

It took until the 79th minute for Port to score their 4th through substitute Louie Parsons – his 1st goal for the club (4-1). Vectis came close to scoring their 2nd in the final 10 minutes, with a strike that Pitman palmed onto the crossbar. Full time: Newport IW 4-1 Vectis

Newport IW: Pitman, Walsh, Thompsett, Oatley, Catania, Watterson, Butcher (c), Younie, Vyse, Craqig, Myram Subs: Dalston-Jones, Parsons, Page, West, Sayers Vectis: Ballington, Sibbick, Barratt, Shaw, Gregory, Denness, Houghton, Greenslade, Wherry, Snow, Cutts Subs: Wood, Kudzi, Furness, Newsham, Goodwin After the game, losing manager Reece Biedler said:

“I felt we were the better side in the 1st half and really gave Newport a scare. We had a disallowed goal, which was never a foul, as the keeper dropped the ball with no contact. We encouraged the pressure at end of 1st half, with Newport getting too many corners and conceding with 30 seconds left, which ultimately changed the game. “In the 2nd half, we started slowly and got punished and they killed the game when the 1st movement from their player was offside – clear as day. “Ultimately, incorrect decisions, Newport quality and experience got the better of us. However. I couldn’t fault the lads. “Only 5 players were over the age of 23 – 4 from the Vectis youth section. Huge credit goes to those coaches who keep churning out quality. “Vectis adult section wasn’t around 6 years ago, and here we are giving a Wessex league side a really good game.”

For Newport, manager Steve Brougham was pleased to have got through to the next round of the Gold Cup. However, he conceded that his side were ‘awful’ in the 1st half and that it was the goal shortly before the half time interval that had killed the game as a contest. This Saturday, Newport travel to Whitchurch United; Vectis face near neighbours Northwood at Cowes Community club.