East Cowes Victoria battled their way through to the last 16 of the Wessex League Cup by beating Wessex Premier side United Services Portsmouth on penalties last night (Tuesday).
The Victorians went into the game missing 4 experienced and influential players through injury: goalkeeper Alex Ram, defender Eliot Wheeler, midfielder Aedan Coode and defender/midfielder Liam Triggs.
Vics dominated the 1st half, without finding the end product in the final 3rd of the field. Half chances fell for Sam Kirby, Harrison Yates, Josh Neale and Toby Snow.
However, it was United Services Portsmouth who came closest to breaking the deadlock on the half hour mark when a Jack Brady strike took a deflection before rebounding off the upright. 10 minutes before half time, goalkeeper Fraser Law was forced into making a superb 1-handed save to prevent Reynolds from deflecting the ball into his own goal;.
Vics ended the half with 10 men after Rafferty Boyd-Kerr had been sinbinned for dissent.
Half time: United Services Portsmouth 0-0 East Cowes Victoria
US Portsmouth began the 2nd half strongly, with captain Nathan Clements forcing a further excellent save from Law. Clements then saw his header rebound off the crossbar.
Vics made a double substitution on the hour mark, with Scott Jones and Caleb Neale coming on for Sam Kirby and Adam Voller. A few minutes later, Charlie Hart replaced Zak Sullivan.
However, it was US Portsmouth who opened the scoring 15 minutes from full time when Clements sent a curling ball into the top left corner of the goal from 25 yards (1-0).
It appeared that Vics’ Wessex Premier opponents were destined to reach the 3rd round of the Wessex League Cup until Scott jones shot through a crowd of defenders in the 2nd minute of injury time (1-1) to take the tie to penalties.
Full time: United Services Portsmouth 1-1 East Cowes Victoria
Harrison Yates converted the 1st penalty for Vics; Toby Snow was successful with the 2nd spot kick. Fraser Law guessed the intentions of the 2nd US Portsmouth penalty taker, stopping the attempt by diving to his right.
Jacob Reynolds scored Vics’ 3rd spot kick; Josh Neale sent the 4th high over the crossbar. Fraser Law retrieved the situation by stopping US Portsmouth’s 4th penalty with a dive to his left.
Jordan Chapman was given responsibility for the 5th and final spot kick, which he converted without mishap to put East Cowes Vics into the 3rd round of the Velocity Wessex League Cup.
Penalties: United Services Portsmouth 2-4 East Cowes Victoria
East Cowes Victoria: Law, Snow, Yates, Newbold (c), Reynolds, Sullivan, Voller, Boyd-Kerr, J. Neale, Chapman, Kirby Subs: Ram, Jones, Hart, Mumford, C. Neale
After the game, assistant manager Stuart Simmonds said:
“It’s great to go to another Wessex Prem side and win again.
“We controlled the 1st half without creating clear cut chances. In the 2nd half, US Portsmouth made changes, and their energy levels rose while ours dropped.
“It showed character from the lads and a never-say-die attitude to come back in injury time, especially after the disappointing result at the weekend.
“We are not the sort of side to batter teams. Romsey – where we won 7-0 – was a one-off.
“We have to battle for every result we get.”
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