A fine night for Newport saw them cruise past US Portsmouth, while East Cowes Vics’ struggles continued with defeat at home to Brockenhurst yesterday evening (Tuesday).
PORT CRUISE PAST US PORTSMOUTH WITH FOUR-STAR DISPLAY
Newport extended their unbeaten run to five matches and climbed to 4th in the Wessex Premier Division after an emphatic win over US Portsmouth.
From the very first whistle, the hosts looked sharp, organised, and full of purpose.
The breakthrough came early as Harry Taylor returned to action in style. He pounced on an underhit back pass, showing composure to round the keeper and slot into an empty net (1-0).
Just minutes later, the crowd were treated to another moment of magic. Excellent build-up play down the right saw Joe Butcher and Caelan Goldberg combine beautifully, with Goldberg delivering a precise cross into the six-yard box. Jez Conway, acrobatically rising above the defenders, executed a stunning bicycle kick to double the lead (2-0), a strike arguably even better than his similarly spectacular goal against the same opposition last week.
The visitors tried to regroup and pushed forward in search of a response, but Newport’s defensive unit stood firm. Neo Lamb was dominant in duels, consistently winning possession and breaking up attacks, while Mikey Thompsett and the ever-improving Matt Benford offered reliable support. US Portsmouth’s main threat came from set pieces, particularly corners, yet there was little danger as goalkeeper Leon Pitman remained alert, claiming a lob and handling crosses safely.
Newport continued to control proceedings, and shortly before half-time, they made it 3-0. Harry Taylor, once again involved, delivered a perfectly timed cut-back to Ji Nash, who slotted home with precision.
Half time: Newport IW 3–0 US Portsmouth
After the break, Newport maintained their intensity while carefully managing the game. The fourth goal arrived late as Sam Cant finished clinically following more excellent work from Ollie Linington, a young midfielder who continues to develop at pace (4-0). Other chances fell to Conway, Cant, and Nash, but the visiting keeper managed to keep them out on several occasions.
One of the standout aspects of the day was the depth and adaptability of the Newport squad. With the luxury of a full bench, player-manager Joe Butcher was able to give Hancott, Thompsett, Taylor, Catania, and Conway a rest without any drop in quality. Sam Kirby injected energy in midfield, while Jack Egerton Read slotted seamlessly into defence alongside Macauley Waterson, whose return after a recent injury against Fleetlands was met with widespread approval from fans and teammates alike.
Throughout the match, Newport displayed composure, teamwork, and tactical intelligence. The full-backs contributed to attacking play, the midfield linked defence and attack effortlessly, and the front-line combined flair with efficiency. Leon Pitman’s clean sheet capped off a near-perfect defensive performance, while the attacking quartet ensured that the scoreboard reflected Newport’s dominance.
Full time: Newport IW 4–0 US Portsmouth
Newport IW FC: Pitman, Goldberg, Benford, Hancott (c), Lamb, Thompsett, Nash, Conway, Taylor, Catania, Butcher Subs: Linington, Cant, Watterson, Egerton-Read, Kirby Man-of-the-match: Jez Conway
The win lifts Newport to 4th in the Wessex Premier Division table on 22 points from 11 games. Having started the season with three straight defeats that left them bottom, the Port are now firmly in the promotion play-off picture.
Looking ahead, Newport will now benefit from a schedule of Saturday-only fixtures up until Christmas, allowing the squad to recover. The next test comes this Saturday with a trip to Kintbury Rangers, a tough assignment, but one the Newport will approach with confidence after a four-star performance at the Zilch Waste stadium.
ANOTHER TOUGH NIGHT FOR EAST COWES VICS AS LOSING RUN STRETCHES TO SIX
East Cowes Vics fell to a 0-3 home defeat against Brockenhurst in the Velocity Wessex Premier League on Tuesday evening, extending their losing run to six matches.
Manager Alex Smith’s side went into the game looking to bounce back from Saturday’s loss to Sherborne, but once again injuries and absences disrupted preparations. Elliot Wheeler failed a late fitness test, while Connor Kelly and Charlie Hart were unavailable, taking the number of missing players to six. There was one positive, however, with new signing Jake Scrimshaw making his debut.
Brockenhurst started brightly and almost took the lead in the 6th minute when a header from a corner clipped the top of the crossbar. The visitors went ahead in the 10th minute after a fine save from Alex Ram fell kindly to Freddie Beale, who scored from a tight angle (0-1).
Ram was called into action again soon after, producing another smart stop in the 14th minute and an outstanding double save on the half-hour mark. Vics found chances hard to come by, with Caleb Neale’s 34th-minute effort drifting wide – their only attempt of the half.
Half time: East Cowes Vics 0–1 Brockenhurst
Vics began the second half with more purpose. Jacob Reynolds caused problems in the Brockenhurst box, and Gareth Bricknell went close on 56 minutes. However, three minutes later the visitors were awarded a contentious penalty, converted by Mitchell Speechley-Price to double their advantage (0-2).
Jake Scrimshaw almost marked his debut with a spectacular strike that went narrowly wide on 65 minutes, while Jake Wright saw his effort fly just over shortly afterwards. But Brockenhurst sealed the points deep into stoppage time when Toby Colmer was left unmarked to head home from close range (0-3).
Full time: East Cowes Vics 0–3 Brockenhurst
East Cowes Victoria: Ram, Snow, Reynolds, Triggs, Bricknell, Chapman, C. Neale, Coode, Jake Wright, Scrimshaw, J. Neale Subs: Voller, Jamie Wright, Mazambara, Sweatman, Sullivan
The defeat leaves Vics 18th in the Wessex Division 1 table – just one place above the relegation zone – with 7 points from 9 games. They are now on a run of six straight defeats.
