Shanklin lifted their 2nd trophy of the season by beating close rivals Whitecroft & Barton at the Peter Henry Ground in the Challenge Cup final last night (Tuesday).
The Blues fielded 3 regular Wessex league players in their winning side: full back Neo Lamb (Newport), forward Ji Nash (Cowes Sports), and Ryan Gregory (East Cowes Vics), who played in midfield.
The Seasiders were without regular keeper Dan Ward (suspended) and played semi-professional referee Sean Phillips in goal. W&B were also without their regular keeper, and reserve keeper Kev Mitchell donned the No 1 jersey. Both keepers had excellent games, with Mitchell picking up the man-of-the-match award.
League champions Shanklin began the game playing up the slope and were unlucky not to take the lead in the opening exchanges. First, W&B keeper Mitchell denied a close-range header from Shanklin captain Pete Wilson. Then, Mitchell made an excellent save to prevent Shankli’s Wayne Newnham from putting the Blues into the lead.
W&B then had a couple of opportunities to take advantage of playing down the slope with Matt Evans shooting just over the crossbar and Josh Appell blasting the ball past the right post.
10 minutes before the half time interval, Shanklin could and should have taken the lead when George Carter-Knight was upended in the W&B penalty area, and referee Ali Taylor awarded a spot kick. The normally reliable Iain Seabrook took the penalty, which was blocked by Mitchell, who dived to the right.
Half time: Whitecroft & Barton Sports 0-0 Shanklin
Shanklin had the advantage of playing down the slope in the 2nd half, but it was Whitecroft & Barton that created most of the early chances, with Liam Slaven and Sam Yelland both having shots blocked by Sean Phillips.
In the 62nd minute, W&B spurned their big opportunity to take the Challenge Cup when the ball hit Iain Seabook’s upper arm in the penalty area, and referee Ali Taylor awarded a spot kick to the side in red. Matt Evans’ penalty kick was parried by Phillips.
For the final half-an-hour, Shanklin were in the ascendancy. First, Jordan Cook blasted the ball just over the W&B crossbar. Then, in the 76th minute, Shanklin finally beat Mitchell with a low 8-yard strike from full back Neo Lamb (1-0).
In the 79th minute, Mitchell pulled off another great save to deny Iain Seabrook at the near post. Shortly before the final whistle, Shanklin No 10 Kyle Drew shot just past the upright.
The game ended without the Seasiders adding further goals to their tally, the current Division 1 champions (Shanklin) beating former champions (W&B) by a single goal.
Full time: Whitecroft & Barton Sports 0-1 Shanklin
Whitecroft & Barton: Mitchell, Shaw, Martin, Bast, Ovnik, Sainsbury, Yelland, Rayner, Appell, Evans, Slaven Subs: East, Lambert, Wright
Shanklin: Phillips, Wilson, Lamb, Seabrook, Newnham, Gregory, Cook, Young, Vyse, Drew, Carter-Knight Subs: Field, Sanderson, Nash
