In the only Wessex League game to be played on the Isle of Wight this Saturday, 4th-placed Newport face 13th-placed Petersfield Town at Smallbrook.
Petersfield have picked up maximum points in their last 2 league games, including a 3-0 win against East Cowes Vics, scoring a total of 7 goals. The Rams will be looking to exact revenge for the 4-1 drumming Newport subjected them to earlier in the season.
Despite a 2-2 draw away at Whitchurch last week. Newport have lost some ground on top team Bemerton, who they trail by 6 points. With teams around Newport having games in hand, a win is badly needed by the Island side to remain in the promotion play-off places.
Co-manager Stewart Shepherd said of the game:
“We are hoping to have a positive reaction from the players this weekend and get back to winning ways, which they have shown before to us this season they are more than capable of doing.”
“We will be missing Martin McDonough and Arron Burford due to suspension, Hopefully, we shall have Joe Hancott and Joe Craig returning from injury.”
Kick off at Smallbrook is at 14:00 and a minibus will be leaving the former ground at St George’s Park at 13:00 (cost £5) to take Newport-based supporters to Smallbrook.
In the other Wessex Division 1 fixture to be played this Saturday, 15th-placed East Cowes Vics will be travelling to 3rd-placed North Hampshire side Andover Town.
Vics manager, Richie Woodburn, said of his side’s chances of getting something from the game:
“Our current league positions and form points to a home win. However, our recent encounters against Andover Town have been closely contested affairs. We have established players missing from our squad, which does not help our cause. But if we show the same attitude as we did against high flying Follands last week, we are more than capable of taking something from this fixture.
“One thing this league has shown this season is that you can pick up points against anyone and with Newport up next, the lads are playing for places in the Xmas Derby. Also, with our former player Karl Steinborn-Busse in goal for Andover, the lads will be keen to put on a top performance.”
In the Wessex Premier, 14th-placed Cowes Sports will be making the short journey across the Solent to take on 17th placed United Services Portsmouth.
The Yachtsmen will hope to be gaining momentum from their 4-1 victory against Alton to Saturday to climb up the table and away from the relegation zone. US Portsmouth have lost 7 of the 10 home games they have played this season, so a win for the Island side is hardly an implausible result.
For any Cowes Sports fans wishing to make the journey to Portsmouth, the home ground (Victory Stadium, Burnaby Road PO1 2EJ) is only 5-minutes’ walk from Portsmouth Harbour Station.
Wessex League fixtures – Saturday 18th December 2021:
Wessex Premier: United Services Portsmouth v Cowes Sports (15:00)
Division 1: Andover Town v East Cowes Vics (15:00), Newport IoW v Petersfield Town (14:00)
Isle of Wight fixtures – Saturday 18th December 2021
All Fixtures to Kick-Off at 14:00
The All Things Printed Ltd IOW Challenge Cup 2nd Round: Binstead & COB v Cowes Sports Reserves; Sandown & Lake v Oakfield; Shanklin v Brading Town
The Ken Morris Junior ‘A’ Cup 2nd Round: Brading Town Reserves v Adgestone; Osborne Coburg v Yarmouth & Calbourne; Ventnor v East Cowes Sports; Whitecroft & Barton Sports Reserves v Carisbrooke United
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Division 1: Bembridge v Northwood St Johns; Niton Community v West Wight; Vectis v Ryde Saints; No Fixture: Whitecroft & Barton Sports
Division 2: AFC Wootton v Seaview; East Cowes Vics Reserves v High Park; Newport Reserves v Newchurch; Wroxall v Pan Community
Combination Division 1: Oakfield v Bembridge; Ryde Saints v Binstead & COB; West Wight v Northwood St Johns; No Fixture: Osborne Coburg, Sandown & Lake, Shanklin
Combination Division 2: Bembridge ‘A’, v Ventnor; Carisbrooke United v Vectis; East Cowes Sports v Pan Community; Yarmouth & Calbourne v AFC Wootton; No Fixture: Newchurch, Niton Community
