East Cowes Vics were beaten by Ringwood Town at Beatrice Avenue this afternoon (Saturday).
The Victorians began the game in a confident mood having won their previous 8 Wessex Division 1 fixtures (4 this season).
The New Forest side started brightly with Lee Vint coming close in the 7th minute. A minute later, Vics keeper Alex Ram saved from Jamie Wintle.
The Victorians first effort came in the 10th minutes from a Caleb Neale strike that was blocked.
The away side took the lead in the 16th minute when a pinpoint cross fell to the head of Lee Vint, who made no mistake from 6 yards. (0-1).
Vics were unlucky 2 minutes later after a ball over the top for Josh Neale was cleared by the Ringwood keeper, and the ball hit Neale, with the ricochet going agonisingly wide.
Ringwood caused all manner of problems for an out of sorts Vics side, winning a penalty after Vics captain Liam Newbold’s high foot caught Vint, who stepped up to take the penalty, but Ram guessed right and made a superb save.
Ram was then caught flat footed when a cross from substitute Lewis Sumpter sailed over his head and into the top corner of the goal (0-2).
Vics pulled a goal back just before the stroke of half time with Jacob Reynolds stabbing home a Caleb Neale pass (1-2).
Half time: East Cowes Vics 1-2 Ringwood Town
In the 2nd half, Ringwood sat in deep absorbing the pressure. The New Forest side could have extended their lead when Jesse Rabin missed a sitter, firing over the bar.
Vics were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty when a Caleb Neale header appeared to have been handled on 77 minutes. The home side had further chances with a Jacob Reynolds effort from 20 yards sailing wide, a Caleb Neale cross-come-shot cleared off the line, a Josh Neale free kick going inches wide, and an 91st minute Elliott Wheeler effort saved by the Ringwood keeper.
The Vics equaliser never came. 6 minutes into added time, Ringwood broke, and the ball fell to Brandon Chester to tap home (1-3), ensuring Ringwood returned across the Solent with all 3 points.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 1-3 Ringwood Town
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, H. Yates, Newbold (c), Wheeler, Chapman, Reynolds, Coode, J. Neale, Kirby, C. Neale Subs: Berry, Hart, Boys-Kerr, J. Yates, Voller
East Cowes Vics’ defeat see them drop from 2nd to 4th in the Wessex League table. However, the Victorians have a game in hand on all sides above them.
PORT TAKE POINT FROM LEAGUE LEADERS ALRESFORD
A Newport side lacking 5 first team regulars drew away to top-of-the-table Alresford Town.
Port started confidently with plenty of possession but fell behind early when Micheal Thompsett was adjudged to have handled in the box. The penalty was duly dispatched by Sanchez McLean, although Leon Pitman was not far from saving it (1-0).
Newport’s equaliser came the same way as the hosts. Joe Butcher was upended in the area and captain Jordan Browne confidently sent the home keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot (1-1).
Half time: Alresford Town 1-1 Newport IW
Parity at half time flattered Alresford. Newport deservedly took the lead straight after half time when Harry Catania got the goal his performance deserved (1-2).
As Alresford became more frustrated, their discipline fell foul of the referee’s whistle, with 2 players sent to the sin bin in the last 20 minutes.
10 minutes from full time, Port were cruelly punished when Sanchez Maclean directed a left footed cross into the goal with a glancing header (2-2).
A deflected shot from centre forward Jordan Browne at the death nearly grabbed all the 3 points for the Port, but the Alresford keeper preserved a point for the home side with a wonder reflex save.
Full time: Alresford Town 2-2 Newport IW
Newport IW: Pitman, Oatley, Thompsett, Young, Watterson, Holbrook, Grace, Catania, Browne (c), Younie, Butcher Subs: Myram, Goldberg
This Tuesday (3rd September), Port travel to Southampton to face Wessex Premier Millbrook in the Hampshire Senior Cup.
YACHTSMEN SUNK BY 10-MAN BOURNEMOUTH
Cowes Sports remain winless in the Wessex Premier after losing to Bournemouth Poppies, who played with 10 men for 70 minutes.
Remarkably, the Yachtsmen beat the Poppies 0-5 at Victoria Park in the FA Vase the previous Saturday.
Cowes dominated the game but were finally beaten by a goal in the 6th minute of injury time.
The Yachtsmen began on the front foot with John McKie scuffing the ball wide and then sending the ball over the crossbar. Centre forward Scott McFarlane struck the upright from 25 yards in the 11th minute.
Bournemouth went down to 10 men in the 22nd minute when their captain was red carded for a dangerous challenge on Ryan Hughes.
The 1st half ended with the Yachtsmen bombarding the Poppies goal with a series of crosses, long throws and corners but without finding the final product.
Half time: Bournemouth Poppies 0-0 Cowes Sports
The Yachtsmen continued their onslaught at the start of the 2nd half with Hughes firing over the crossbar, Callum Chase directing the ball at the Bournemouth keeper and John McKie just failing to connect with a George Carter-Knight cross.
The sucker punch came for Cowes came in the 6th minute of injury time when substitute Richard Bakary ran down the line before cutting inside and shooting 25 yards past Ed Hatt to secure all 3 points for the home side.
Full time: Bournemouth Poppies 1-0 Cowes Sports
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Hughes, Dempsey, Chase, Oatley, Hancott, Phillips, Triggs, McFarlane, McKie (c), Carter-Knight Subs: Tout-Walters, Jackman, Marsek, W. Bridi, Conway
Defeat leaves the Yachtsmen 2nd-from-bottom in the Wessex Premier with 2 draws and 4 defeats in the 6 games they have played in the season to date.
Cowes next play New Milton Town in the Velocity Wessex League Cup on Wednesday evening (4th September).
