Newport IW convincingly beat AFC Aldermaston at Beatrice Avenue this afternoon (Saturday) to go 6th in Wessex Division 1.
The game began with a presentation to Newport co-manager Joe Butcher to mark his 450th Wessex League appearance. Goalkeeper Leon Pitman also received the moment-of-the-month award for October for an outstanding performance.
Henry West opened the scoring for Port after just 10 minutes by volleying in a pass from Joe Craig into the top right corner of the goal (1-0).
West then bagged his brace on the half hour mark by nutmegging the formidable Aldermaston keeper (2-0).
Port came close to adding a 3rd when a Kai Grace effort went wide.
Half time: Newport IW 2-0 Aldermaston
Ji Nash struck a 3rd for Port in the 56th minute with a free kick from the edge of the ‘D’ that curled past the flat-footed Aldermaston keeper (3-0).
Player-manager Joe Butcher came close to adding a 4th but was denied by a last ditch block. Ji Nash also had 2 goal attempts cleared off the goal line.
Substitute Jared Wetherick put the ball in the net in the 80th minute, only to see the linesman flag for offside.
Ji Nash got his 2nd in the final minute of full time play, with a left-footed volley from 20 yards that struck the underside of the crossbar. The goal was only given after the referee had consulted the linesman (4-0).
Full time: Newport IW 4-0 Aldermaston
Newport IW: Pitman, Walsh, Oatley, Young, Thompsett, West, Nash, Younie, Grace, Craig, Butcher Subs: Linington, Wright, Goldberg, Weeks, Wetherick
Newport chairman John Davies commented after the game:
“This was an excellent afternoon in front of an amazing crowd of 160.
“A further tough away day next week to come, but the solid start continues.”
Port are now 2 points behind Hamworthy United but have a game in hand on the 5th-placed club.
Also in Wessex Division 1, East Cowes Victoria had their match against Cove postponed when their mini-bus broke down on the way to the game.
YACHTSMEN SUNK BY DOCKERS IN SOUTHAMPTON
A late Jez Conway own goal saw Cowes Sports’ 5-game unbeaten run come crashing to a halt.
The Yachtsmen fell behind in the 6th minute when Brandon Chebby headed home a cross from Drake (1-0).
Cowes then went further behind in the 21st minute, after Coby Killick took advantage of a goalmouth scramble to score (2-0).
The away side came close to pulling a goal back in the 23rd minute, with Callum Chase heading just wide.
Cowes captain John McKie reduced the deficit to a single goal by converting a Scott McFarlane cross on the stroke of half time (2-1)
Half time: Millbrook 2-1 Cowes Sports
Charlie Marsek scored an equalising goal for the Yachtsmen in the 2nd minute of the 2nd half, by heading in a John McKie cross at the far post (2-2).
The remainder of the half saw both sides anxious not to concede, with most of the action coming from the referee, who cautioned Scott McFarlane and John McKie as well as 2 Millbrook players – decisions that the Cowes bench described as ‘weird’.
The final 15 minutes saw Millbrook pump a succession of long balls into the visiting side’s penalty area.
5 minutes from full time, the home side’s direct football paid fruit, with substitute Jez Conway heading into his own goal (3-2).
The referee again became the centre of attention in injury time, by awarding a 2nd yellow to a Millbrook player for time wasting, forcing the Dockers to finish the game with 10 men.
Full time: Millbrook 3-2 Cowes Sports
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Hughes, Mumford, Chase, Oatley, Phillips, Cook, Wright, McFarlane, McKie (c), Marsek Subs: Tout-Walters, Jackman, Conway, W. Bridi, G. Bridi
After the game, Cowes Sports co-manager Ian Potts commented:
“I thought the lads played really well and stuck to the game plan we asked them to.
“A draw would have been a fair result. I was really proud of the team today. I can’t fault their effort.”
Defeat leaves the Yachtsmen 13th in the Wessex Premier with 15 points from 14 games.
