Holders Shanklin will meet rivals W&B in the Island Echo Challenge Cup Final after overcoming West Wight at the County Ground yesterday evening (Thursday).
This was a comfortable win for the Isle of Wight champions against a West Wight side that threatened little until the closing stages of the contest.
West Wight started brightly with veteran centre forward Gareth Bricknell striking the upright in the 6th minute. However, the remainder of the 1st half was dominated by the home side.
George Carter-Knight opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a curling shot from a very tight angle that looped over West Wight keeper Monk (1-0).
10 minutes from the half time interval, Carter-Knight was fouled in the penalty area with referee Ian Smith awarding a penalty despite vehement protests from the West Wight players. Carter-Knight coolly sent Monk the wrong way, dispatching a low shot to the right of the goal (2-0).
The 1st half ended with a vehement appeal for a penalty from the West Wight players that was ignored by referee Smith.
Half time: Shanklin 2-0 West Wight
The 2nd half was a dull affair until the final minutes in which the game ended with further goals and some controversy.
Gareth Bricknell saw a penalty appeal turned down in the 58th minute.
In the 63rd minute, Kyle Drew somehow failed to score from 2 yards after being set up at the near post by Nicky Vyse.
In the 83rd minute, Gareth Bricknell had his 2nd penalty appeal of the half ignored by referee Smith.
After creating little for most of the game, Casey Tyrrell pulled a goal back for West Wight 5 minutes before the final whistle when scored direct from a corner (2-1).
Any hopes West Wight may have had for a late comeback were dashed when substitute Cory Sanderson put Nicky Vyse through to rifle the ball past Monk and into the left side of the goal (3-1).
Sanderson then had a golden opportunity to score in injury time but hoofed the ball over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.
West Wight’s Gareth Bricknell was sent off after directing some heated words at the match officials after the full-time whistle had blown, doubtless aggrieved about the penalty awarded to the home side and 3 West Wight penalty appeals turned down by Ian Smith.
Full time: Shanklin 3-1 West Wight
Shanklin: Linington, Wilson, Smythers, Watterson, Oatley, Gregory, Cook, Drew, Vyse, Burford, Carter-Knight. Subs: Sanderson, Young, Turner
West Wight: Monk, Herbert, Elliott, Phillips, Brett, Merrett, Dye, Tyrrell, Bricknell, Saunders, Daley. Subs: Burgess, Simmonds, Moore
