4 Island teams will be competing in the Hampshire Trophy this afternoon (Saturday) while a further 2 take part in the Hampshire Vase.
Northwood St Johns, Oakfield, Shanklin and W&B have all been given home ties in the Vase. Northwood face Hampshire Premier League Headley United at the Isle of Wight Community Club; Oakfield take on Meon Milton (also Hampshire Premier League) at Slade Road; Shanklin are at home to a 3rd Hampshire Premier League side – Whitehill & Bordon – at the County Ground. Whitecroft & Barton Sports have been drawn against Rushmoor Community from the Aldershot & District League.
W&B Reserves are the only team to travel to the mainland where they face Horndean United Reserves of the Mid-Solent league. There is also 1 all Island tie in the Vase with Sandown & Lake hosting Ventnor A at the Fairway Sports Complex.
The Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup also begins today with Ventnor welcoming High Park to Watcombe Bottom.
In the Wessex Leagues…
In the Wessex Premier, 13th-placed Cowes Sports entertain 6th-placed Hamble at the Zilch Waste Stadium.
The Monks will present a formidable challenge for the Yachtsmen as they have been unbeaten in their 6 league games of the season to date.
On Tuesday, Cowes went down to a 0-5 defeat to another of their division’s strongest sides – Stoneham.
Co-manager Mark Woodhouse says of the midweek loss and his side’s prospects today:
“Football is about winning games and losing games. How you react to losing games is as important as how you react to winning – probably even more important.
“We’re going to go away and work hard to make sure we get prepared. The only way we can do that is by hard work and sticking together.
“I know these lads really well, and I’m sure that’s what we’re going to get. We’ll go again and give a good account of ourselves.”
Also in the Wessex Premier, 16th-placed East Cowes Victoria cross the Solent to face 2nd-placed Stoneham.
Vics are currently on a run of poor form having gone down to 3 straight defeats.
The East Cowes side have said ahead of the game:
“We travel away to the league favourites, AFC Stoneham. Having won 7 out of their 8 league games so far, we’re looking forward to testing ourselves!”
In Wessex Division 1, 10th-placed Newport travel to Wiltshire to play 14th-placed Amesbury Town.
Port are the Isle of Wight’s form side at present – unbeaten in 5 league games. However, they will travel without a number of key players including captain Maca Watterson, centre forward Harry Taylor, defenders Mike Thompsett and Henry West and midfielders Brad Young and Matt Oatley.
Manager Joe Butcher says of Port’s prospects:
“It’s going to be a difficult game. We are very thinly spread with injuries, and it’s always a tough place to go against a very physical side.”
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 4th October
Matches kick off at 14:00 unless otherwise shown
Hampshire Saturday Trophy
Northwood SJ v Headley United
Oakfield v Meon Milton
Shanklin v Whitehill & Bordon (13:30)
W&B v Rushmoor Community
Hampshire Saturday Vase
Horndean United Reserves v W&B Reserves (15:00)
Sandown & Lake Reserves v Ventnor A
Isle of Wight Senior (Gold) Cup
Ventnor v High Park
Junior A
Binstead & COB v Ryde Saints
Newchurch v Seaview
Pan Community v Sandown & Lake
Harwoods Division 1
Bembridge & Vectis v Cowes Sports
Osborne Coburg v West Wight
Division 2
East Cowes Vics Reserves v Newport Reserves
Combination 1
Brading Town Reserves v Oakfield Reserves (13:30)
ECS Reserves v Bembridge & Vectis Reserves
High Park Reserves v Osborne Coburg Reserves
West Wight Reserves v Ventnor Reserves
Combination 2
High Park A v Binstead & COB Reserves
Oakfield A v Newchurch Reserves
Ryde Saints Reserves v Sandown & Lake A
West Wight A v Bembridge & Vectis A
