In the only Wessex League game on the Isle of Wight today, 11th-placed Newport welcome 4th-placed Folland Sports at the Zilch Waste Stadium at 15:00.
The Planemakers are likely to be formidable opponents, having chalked up 7 straight victories since the end of October.
Despite their midtable position in Wessex Division 1, Port still have a fighting chance of reaching the playoff places as they have many games in hand on all the teams above them in the table. The County Town club have the best home record in their division, having taken 22 points out of a possible 24 and are the only side to remain unbeaten at home. Their points-per-game average of 1.867 is superior to that of 5 teams in the top half of the table.
Port were last in league action on 8th November when they beat Hamworthy United by the best of 5 goals at home.
Newport’s manager Joe Butcher says:
“I think it’ll be a tough game. They have won their last 7 and are unbeaten in 9 or 10 in the league, they are so on a good run.”
In the Wessex Premier, 16th-placed Cowes Sports travel to 2nd-from-bottom New Milton Town in Mark Woodhouse’s 2nd game as sole manager.
‘Woody’s’ tenure at the helm of the Yachtsmen got off to a bright start with a 2-1 win over high flying Portland United last Saturday.
New Milton have had a good December with wins over Hythe & Dibden and Bournemouth Poppies. However, their last home game saw then trounced 3-6 by Hamble.
Mark Woodhouse says of his side’s prospects today:
“New Milton have shown an upturn in fortunes recently, and we know it will be a tough test, as any trip away in the Wessex League will be.”
Also in the Wessex Premier, 13th-placed East Cowes Victoria travel to 3rd-placed Hamble Club.
The Monks are currently on a run of 8 games unbeaten in the league; Vics threw away a 2-0 half time lead in their last game against Baffins Milton Rovers to lose by the best of 5 goals.
Manager Alex Smith said of his side following last Saturday’s defeat:
“We’re a promoted side who are setting our standards so high against the very top teams in the division. We are going at least toe-to-toe. That’s not us being over-ambitious or deluded – that’s just the reality.
“We will continue to be ambitious. We know this team can beat any other team in the league on the right day and the right performance.”
