Isle of Wight Wessex League clubs took just 1 point out of a possible 9 this afternoon.
NEWPORT HELD AT HOME BY RINGWOOD
Captain Maca Watterson salvaged a point for Port with a 70th minute header.
Newport began the game brightly with Ji Nash lobbing the Ringwood keeper from the edge of the penalty area in the 8th minute – his 7th goal in 4 games (1-0).
Nash then came close to doubling the home side’s lead in the 22nd minute when he struck the crossbar with a left-footed shot.
Ringwood equalised 5 minutes from the half time break when Timo Gleed headed home unmarked from a corner (1-1).
Half time: Newport IW 1-1 Ringwood Town
Ringwood took the lead 10 minutes into the 2nd half through Pat Correia, who beat Leon Pitman at the far post (1-2).
The game then turned feisty, with the visiting bench receiving 2 yellow cards and their top scorer Vint sinbinned.
Port got back on level terms in the 70th minute, with Maca Watterson heading home a Joe Butcher corner (2-2).
In the closing stages of the game, Jez Conway had 2 scoring opportunities which both found the side netting.
Newport ended the game with 10 men when player-manager Martin McDonough was sent off for a 2nd yellow card.
Full time: Newport IW 1-1 Ringwood Town
Newport IW: Pitman, Holbrook, Thompsett, Watterson (c), McDonough, Butcher, Walsh, Nash, Kirby, Grace Subs: West, Barsdell, Brien, Arnold Man-of-the-match: Keelan Walsh
The draw leaves Port 8th in Wessex Division 1, 6 points behind Fleetlands in the 4th playoff place with 2 games of the season to play.
YACHTSMEN SCUPPERED BY CHRISTCHURCH IN ‘GAME OF 2 HALVES’
Cowes Sports were unable to recover from trailing Christchurch by 3 goals at the half time interval despite a strong 2nd half performance.
Luke Sheehy opened the scoring for Christchurch after just 9 minutes (0-1).
Addwell Chipangura added a 2nd for the away side in the 20th minute (0-2).
The Yachtsmen were then twice denied by the woodwork, with Jordan Cook striking the upright and John McKie volleying the ball on to the crossbar.
Christchurch scored their 3rd goal 4 minutes from the half time break when Joe Freak beat Ed Hatt in a 1-on-1 scoring opportunity (0-3).
Half time: Cowes Sports 0-3 Christchurch
The Yachtsmen pulled a goal back in the 57th minute when a John McKie corner met the head of Ryan Oatley, whose effort was parried by the Christchurch keeper. The ball then fell for Conor Kelly, who volleyed it across the goal to be tapped in by Scott McFarlane at the back post (1-3).
Cowes reduced the deficit to a single goal 8 minutes from full time after a Ryan Oatley cross was deflected into the goal by a defender (2-3).
However, Addwell Chipangura made victory certain for the away side in the final minute of full time play by beating the offside trap before lobbing Ed Hatt to bag his brace (2-4).
Full time: Cowes Sports 2-4 Christchurch
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Cranwell, Haward, Lewis, Oatley, Phillips, Tout-Walters, Cook, McKie (c), McFarlane, Kelly Subs: Marsek, Chase, Cooch, Sanderson, Wightwick
The Yachtsmen remain becalmed in 12th place in the Wessex Premier with 45 points from 36 games.
Cowes Sports now travel to Dorset to face Sherborne Town on Monday evening (14th April).
VICS VANQUISHED BY DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS NEW MILTON
Vics travelled to New Milton home of the newly crowned Wessex League Division 1 champions, needing to get at least a point to push for a home tie in the play offs.
Manager Alex Smith had Jacob Reynolds back but star striker Scott Jones was unavailable.
New Milton started like champions and scored after 19 seconds when a ball through the heart of the Vics defence found Harry McGrath, who slipped the ball past Vics keeper Alex Ram (1-0).
The Brickmakers Noel Mcarthy-Gardner shot inches wide on 6 minutes and should have scored in the 9th minute but miskicked what looked like a certain goal.
A Josh Neale free kick on 25 minutes levelled the scores after the striker had been fouled on the edge of the 18-yard box (1-1).
Vics took the lead on 34 minutes, after Josh Neale’s strong run saw the striker fouled, and Harrison Yates stepped up to hammer past Bull in the New Milton goal (1-2).
The East Cowes side were holding the champions now, but – in a decision that baffled everyone on 42 minutes – Morgan Perrin’s excellent challenge and clearance was at first okayed by the referee, who then seemed to change his mind and pointed to the spot. Jack Broad stepped up for the penalty, and his effort just sneaked in under the bar after Ram had got his legs to the shot (2-2).
Josh Neale – who was causing New Milton all sorts of problems – then hit the bar a minute from half time.
Half time: New Milton Town 2-2 East Cowes Victoria
Vics started the second half in confident mood, but chances for Josh and Caleb Neale weren’t dispatched, and New Milton punished Vics when substitute Barney Stone raced through and tucked the ball past Ram (3-2).
The Victorians’ substitutes on 66 minutes – Zak Sullivan, Kudzi Mazambara and Adam Voller – injected some urgency into the game. Raff Boyd-Kerr’s shot on 76 minutes was well saved. Jacob Reynolds was unlucky on 81 minutes, and Kudzi Mazambara’s 20-yard sizzler went inches past the post.
Vics were pushing hard now, and Harrison Yates powerful strike hit the crossbar with the keeper well beaten.
The Victorians’ Elliot Wheeler was sin binned on 90 minutes after complaining that a late challenge on Adam Voller wasn’t given. Vics were now pushing on looking for an equaliser with 10 men but got caught out in the 93rd minute when Dan Bartlett raced through and – after Toby Snow looked to have stopped the striker – a second poke at the ball squirmed through Ram’s legs.
Full time: New Milton Town 4-2 East Cowes Victoria
East Cowes Victoria: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Perrin, Boyd-Kerr, Hart, Coode, J. Neale, Wheeler, C. Neale Subs: Mazambara, Sullivan, Reynolds, Voller, Cassford
East Cowes Vics – who are assured of a Division 1 playoff spot – remain in 4th place with 68 points from 36 games.
Wessex Division 1 table (top 8) below (note Hamworthy United cannot be promoted this season):
