SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR – VICS MISS OUT ON PLAYOFF PLACE BY A SINGLE GOAL

East Cowes Vics failed to gain a coveted playoff place despite a comfortable victory over Frimley Green in a dramatic game at Beatrice Avenue this afternoon (Saturday). The match began with presentations for Charlie Marsek and Alex Ram (100 appearances) and Harrison Yates (supporters’ player-of-the-season). Vics had a single mission: to score 2 more goals than 5th-placed Fleetlands – who were playing New Milton at the same time – to take 5th place and make the playoffs. The game started at a frantic pace and after just 3 minutes, a brilliant Harrison Yates through ball to Jacob Reynolds saw the No 10 send a perfect lob over Frimley keeper Jake McKelvie (1-0). Frimley had to make sure they got a better result than New Milton Town to avoid relegation and made it tough for Vics; half chances fell for Ji Nash and Jez Conway, but Frimley avoided conceding a further goal until 1st half injury time. In the 47th minute, Jez Conway was brought down in the penalty area, and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Jake Wright stepped up to slot home, sending the keeper the wrong way (2-0). Half time: East Cowes Vics 2-0 Frimley Green

Vics pushed for further goals in the 2nd half. A Ji Nash free kick just missed the target on 47 minutes; 3 minutes later, a fine finish from Jez Conway extended Vics’ lead (3-0). Frimley went down to 10 men on 54 minutes, with Freddie Jones seeing red for a dangerous studs-up challenge. Then – on the hour mark – Frimley’s Toby Harris was sin binned for dissent. The 231 crowd started to believe Vics would make the playoffs when – in the 62nd minute – Ji Nash curled in a beautiful strike from the edge of the penalty area (4-0).

A further Jacob Reynolds effort on 75 minutes was well-saved but a minute later, Rafferty Boyd-Kerr headed home to send the Beatrice Avenue crowd ecstatic (5-0). At this point in the game, the crowd were frantically scrolling through their mobile phones to attempt to find out the score at Fleetlands and whether 5 goals would be sufficient to put Vics into the playoffs.. 5 minutes from full time, Jake Wright put the ball into the back of the net, but the assistant’s flag went up late.

Frimley then started to time waste, preventing Vics from finding further opportunities to get a vital 6th goal. After the final whistle, the crowd and players finally learned the score at Powder Monkey Park. Fleetlands had won 4-0 to take the playoff place by the narrowest of margins. Full time: East Cowes Vics 5-0 Frimley Green East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold (c), Wheeler, Chapman, Wright, Boyd-Kerr, Conway, Reynolds, Nash Subs: Marsek, Young, Kirby, Coode, Neale Man-of-the-match: Rafferty Boyd-Kerr Vics finish their season in 6th place in Wessex Division 1, level on points with 5th placed Fleetlands with a goal difference of 38 (1 less than Fleetlands).

---

PORT FINISH SEASON ON HIGH BY BEATING BLUEBIRDS

Newport concluded their Wessex League campaign with a comfortable victory on the road against Andover Town.  The game began with goalkeeping legend Gary Streeter being given a guard of honour by both sets of players in his final game before retirement. The only goal in a poor 1st half saw the ever-improving Lewis Parsons cutting in on the edge of the box and smashing in an unstoppable shot: his 2nd league goal of the season (0-1). In the 2nd half, a darting run from Myram resulted in his being tripped in the penalty area. Joe Butcher gave the home keeper no chance when he slotted home the resulting penalty (0-2). Port added a 3rd through a curling free kick on the right edge of the penalty area from Matt Oatley (0-3). Full time: Andover Town 0-3 Newport IW Newport IW: Streeter, Page, Thompsett, Bristow, Watterson, Oatley, Myram. Walsh, Wetherick, Butcher, Parsons Port finish their season in 12th place in Wessex Division 1 with 52 points.