Ryde Saints beat Bembridge by the odd goal of 7 in an open and closely fought encounter at Smallbrook on Wednesday night.
Saints showed their attacking intent as early as the 1st minute of the game when Connor Kelly (leading scorer for Wessex League 1 Newport) rifled the ball into the top left corner of the Bembridge goal only for his effort to be ruled offside. However, it was Bembridge who were to score first in the 8th minute, when Liam Harper rose above the Ryde defence to send a looping header into the back of the net. (0-1)
4 minutes later, Sam Cant equalized for Saints with a low, hard 20-yard shot from the edge of the Bembridge penalty area. (1-1) Bembridge then came close to equalizing when their burly Wessex League striker, Jez Conway, hit the Ryde crossbar from a corner.
Bembridge were then temporarily reduced to 10 men when Macaulay Watterson (who had a bad-tempered game) was sinbinned for dissent. In the 23rd minute, Ryde took advantage of their extra man when Sam Cant headed the ball into the back of the net after beating the Bembridge keeper to a header. (2-1)
Bembridge had a strong penalty appeal turned down in the 33rd minute when Liam Harper was bundled over in the Ryde penalty area. The visitors equalized shortly before half time through a powerful low shot driven into the far corner of the Ryde net by Chaz Broadbent. (2-2)
HT: Ryde Saints 4-3 Bembridge
Saints regained their lead shortly after half time when Keir Ramage slotted the ball past the Bembridge ‘keeper (3-2). Bembridge had another good penalty appeal turned down after Liam Harper was again bundled over in the Ryde penalty area. Shem Michall then equalized for the visiting team through a 73rd minute strike from the edge of the penalty area. (3-3)
It was Saint’s flying winger, Connor Kelly, who was to have the final word in the game with a superb individual goal in the 76th minute. Connor picked up the ball just past the halfway line before driving it into the Bembridge penalty area, rounding the Bembridge ‘keeper, then slotting the ball into the far corner of the Bembridge net. (4-3)
Matt Walter nearly added a 5th for Ryde with a strong shot that the Bembridge ‘keeper was unable to hold but then cleared off the line. The game ended in comedy when Bembridge’s Jez Conway attempted a ‘hand-of-God’ Maradona-style goal with his raised arm, but his farcical attempt to emulate the late Argentinian superstar fell harmlessly wide.
FT: Ryde Saints 4-3 Bembridge
Ryde Saints’ win leaves them in 8th place in Island League 1 with 25 points from 20 games, 5 points behind 7th-placed Bembridge, who have 30 points from 29 games.
In Combination 1, Northwood St Johns Reserves beat Ryde Saints Reserves 4-6 to go top of the table, level on points and goal difference with Whitecroft and Barton Reserves. Both teams now have 52 points from 21 games and a goal difference of +42.
The destination of the Combination 1 Championship will now be decided in both clubs’ final games of the season. On Saturday (May 22), W&B face Carisbrooke United at Sandy Lane and the following Saturday (May 29) Northwood travel to Sandown.
Congratulations are in order for Bembridge Reserves who won Combination 2 on Saturday with a 0-6 victory at Newchurch.
Results for Wednesday 19th May:
Harwoods Renault League Division 1: Ryde Saints 4-3 Bembridge
Harwoods Renault League Combination Division 1: Oakfield 3-1 Binstead & COB; Ryde Saints 4-6 Northwood St Johns; West Wight 1-1 Shanklin
