Promotion-chasing Newport take on 5th placed Andover New Street at Smallbrook Stadium tomorrow in the only Wessex League fixture to be played on the Island this Saturday.
With only 1 team guaranteed to win promotion to the Premier League this season, Saturday’s game is a must-win contest for 2nd-placed Port, who failed in their attempt to beat leaders Bemerton last Saturday.
Andover New Street have 2 games in hand on Newport and a higher points per game average: 2.375 as opposed to Newport’s 2.22. New Street have been in good form of late, winning 2-3 at Verwood Town last Saturday and beating Totton & Eling 8-1 at home in the game before that. The North Hampshire side will be hoping for a hat-trick of wins against Island sides, having already beaten Cowes 3-4 in the Wessex Cup in August and East Cowes Vics 5-0 at Foxcotte Park in September.
Saturday’s game kicks off at the earlier time of 14:00 at Smallbrook, with a minibus leaving St George’s Park Newport at 13:00 (cost £5 return).
In the other game to be played in Division 1, 14th-placed East Cowes Vics travel to 15th-placed Petersfield Town for what manager Richie Woodburn described as “a winnable game”.
Vics beat the Rams 2-1 in the corresponding fixture at Beatrice Avenue 3 weeks ago and will be hoping to take all 6 points from the North Hampshire side.
In the Wessex Premier, Cowes Sports travel across the Solent to face AFC Portchester at the Crest Finance Stadium.
The Yachtsmen beat Portchester 2-1 in a feisty encounter at Westwood Park 3 weeks ago in which Portchester manager Dave Carter received a 1-match ban after a confrontation between the away side bench and the celebrating Cowes players after the final whistle.
Before the game at Westwood Park, Dave Carter had described the Yachtsmen as “a bottom 3 side”. However, his team – reputedly the highest paid in the Wessex League – lost after conceding a penalty and a farcical own goal.
This time, Portchester will apparently show a greater respect for the Island side. Graeme Moore wrote on their website:
“To avoid any further confusion over the meaning of any future comments, ahead of the next encounter with Cowes in early December we would like to point out that they are a top side, and we fully expect an equally difficult game when they visit us at the OnSite Group Stadium… “
Manager Dave Carter told his local paper, the Portsmouth News:
“I think it will be a bit spicy. We’ll be more than up for it Saturday and looking for the lads to get 3 points on the board.”
Meanwhile, 5 Isle of Wight sides will be competing in the Hampshire Trophy (Intermediate Cup) this Saturday.
Bembridge face West Wight at Steyne Park in the only all-Island fixture, which is a repeat of last Saturday’s game in Division 1: a 0-5 victory for West Wight. In the other trophy fixture to be played on the Island, last year’s finalists Shanklin face Hampshire Premier League side Denmead at the County Ground.
3 Island sides travel across the Solent to play in the Trophy. Current holders Brading face Southampton Saturday League side Hedge End Rangers; Isle of Wight champions W&B face BTC Southampton; Oakfield play Bishop Waltham Dynamos.
Full reports on the Wessex League games will appear in Island Echo on Sunday, with a round up of games played in the Hampshire Trophy, Vase and Plate on Monday.
Wessex League fixtures for Saturday 4th December 2021
Fixtures to kick off at 15:00 unless otherwise stated
Wessex Premier Division: AFC Portchester v Cowes Sports
Division 1: Newport IoW v Andover New Street (14:00)
Petersfield Town v East Cowes Vics
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 4th December 2021
All Isle of Wight home fixtures to Kick-Off at 14:00
Hampshire FA Saturday Trophy – Round 3: Bembridge First v West Wight First; Bishops Waltham Dynamos First v Oakfield First; BTC (Southampton) v Whitecroft & Barton Sports; Hedge End Rangers First v Brading Town First; Shanklin First v Denmead First
Hampshire FA Saturday Vase – Round 2: East Cowes Vics Reserves v Burrfields First; Inmar First v AFC Wootton First; Pan Community First v Carberry First; West Wight Reserves v Winsor United Green; Whitecroft & Barton Sports Reserves v St Francis Men First
Hampshire FA Saturday Plate – Round 1: Adgestone v Fratton Eagles (Saturday); AFC Eagles First v East Cowes Sports Reserves
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Division 1: Binstead & COB v Vectis; Cowes Sports Reserves v Northwood St Johns; Sandown & Lake v Ryde Saints; No Fixture: Niton Community
Division 2: East Cowes Sports v Osborne Coburg; High Park v Carisbrooke United; Newchurch v Wroxall; Seaview v Ventnor; Yarmouth & Calbourne v Newport Reserves
Combination Division 1: Northwood St Johns v Shanklin; Oakfield v Brading Town; Osborne Coburg v Bembridge; Ryde Saints v Sandown & Lake; No Fixture: Binstead & COB
Combination Division 2: AFC Wootton v Yarmouth & Calbourne; Carisbrooke United v Pan Community; Niton Community v Ventnor; Vectis v Bembridge ‘A’; No Fixture: Newchurch
Fixtures courtesy of the Isle of Wight DFA
