4th-placed Newport start a run of 4 home games against 15th-placed Ash United at Smallbrook this Saturday (2nd April).
Teams in positions 2 to 5 compete in the play offs for promotion to the Wessex Premier.
After securing a vital 3 points against promotion rivals Andover New Street last Saturday, the Port will be looking to build on that fine win. Saturday’s game assumes even greater significance as their promotion rivals all picked up points midweek.
North Hampshire side Ash have had a mixed bag of results in March with an early win and draw, followed by two big defeats. However, Ash are not a team to underestimate, having bounced back last weekend with a win over mid-table Verwood.
With kick off back to 15:00, a minibus will be leaving the former St George’s Park ground at 14:00, returning promptly after the game (cost £5).
17th-placed East Cowes Vics have the opportunity to secure their Division 1 status for a further season by beating Millbrook at Beatrice Avenue. Vics are currently 8 points above 2nd-from-bottom Fleet Spurs with only 3 games of the season remaining. Manager Richie Woodburn says:
“We finish the season with a run of 3 home games, 2 of which are against title contenders, so Millbrook statistically presents our best opportunity to secure more points this season. They have lost their last 2 games very heavily as well (9-0 and 11-0), so if we can take our current form into this game, I am confident we can secure a positive result.
“We had a poor day at Millbrook earlier in the season when they beat us comfortably. This game should be a good indicator of how far we have come since then.”
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In the Wessex Premier, 17th-placed Cowes Sports travel to Five Heads Park in Hampshire to face 4th-placed Horndean, a side that beat them 0-9 in the corresponding fixture at Westwood Park back in October of last year.
The Yachtsmen have been in poor form of late and are winless in 6 Wessex League fixtures since beating United Services Portsmouth 3-1 back in February. Cowes are mathematically safe from any danger of relegation, being 15 points above 2nd-from-bottom Hythe & Dibden, who have only 3 games left to play. The Wessex Premier club still have the chance of silverware this season, having advanced to the semi-final of the Isle of Wight Gold Cup by scraping past Island League side West Wight midweek.
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 2nd April
All games to kick off at 15:00
Premier Division
Horndean v Cowes Sports
Division One
East Cowes Vics v Millbrook
Newport IoW v Ash United
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday, 2nd April
All Fixtures to Kick-Off at 14:00 unless otherwise shown
Isle of Wight 1st Irish Rifles Memorial Cup: 4th Round
High Park v Ryde Saints
Isle of Wight 1st Irish Rifles Memorial Cup: Quarter Final
Brading Town v Sandown & Lake
East Cowes Sports v Cowes Sports Reserves
Shanklin v West Wight (13:30)
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Division 1
Bembridge v Binstead & COB
Oakfield v Northwood St Johns
No Fixture: Niton Community, Vectis, Whitecroft & Barton Sports
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Division 2
Pan Community v Seaview
No Fixture: Newport Reserves, Osborne Coburg, Wroxall
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Combination Division 1
Northwood St Johns v Oakfield
Sandown & Lake v Brading Town
Shanklin v Bembridge (15:45)
West Wight v Ryde Saints
No Fixture: Binstead & COB, Osborne Coburg, Whitecroft & Barton Sports
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Combination Division 2
No Fixtures
Fixtures courtesy of IOW DFA
UPDATE: The following games are OFF
Division 2
Newchurch v Ventnor – Off Ventnor cannot raise a side.
Yarmouth & Calbourne v Carisbrooke United – Off Yarmouth & Calbourne cannot raise a side.
Fixtures correct as of 11.00am, Saturday, 2nd April
