Cowes Sports, East Cowes Victoria and Newport IW are all 8 games from an appearance at Wembley Stadium.
The 3 Isle of Wight Wessex League sides all compete in the second Qualifying Round of the FA Vase this afternoon (Saturday). The winners of each tie take £725 of prize money and the losers £225.
Cowes Sports – who are the only Isle of Wight side to have been drawn at home – take on New Milton Town at the Zilch Waste Stadium at 15:00.
The Yachtsmen comprehensively beat the Brickies 4-0 a fortnight ago. Fellow Wessex Premier side New Milton – who lie 18th in the division – have had a difficult time of late with the departure of their chairman and members of their first team squad.
The furthest New Milton Town have been in the competition was the quarter finals in 1998/99. Cowes Sports’ best year was in 1999/2000 when they reached the 5th round.
Co-manager Ian Potts says of his side’s prospects:
“Everyone at the club is looking forward to the game, especially as last weeks game was cancelled. We all love the magic of the FA Vase and hope to go far in it this season.
Article continues below this advertisement “Even though we beat New Milton in the league a couple of weeks ago, it means nothing now,as they will be bringing a coach and be looking to put things right.
“As usual, the lads have trained well all week, the injury list is hopefully getting shorter. We will be up for it and hopefully put in a decent performance to get into the hat for the next round, but we know it will not be easy.”
East Cowes Victoria also have also been drawn against another Wessex Premier club – Sherborne Town.
Victory at the GMS Windows Arena will be a big ask for the East Cowes side. The Zebras currently lie 3rd in the division. The last Isle of Wight side side to travel to the Dorset-based club – Cowes Sports – went down to a 3-0 defeat at the end of August.
The furthest Sherborne Town have reached in the competition is the 4th round in 2006/07. Vics have never made it past the 2nd round.
Newport IW travel to Dorset to face Sturminster Newton United.
The Cherries currently lie 3rd in Western League Division 1 (the same level in the league pyramid as Newport).
Sturminster Newton United have never gone beyond the 1st round of the FA Vase; Newport reached the 5th round in 1991/92 and 1992/93.
Manager Joe Butcher says of the tie:
“We’re treating it as a free hit to be honest – no pressure on us. It’s not somewhere I’ve been or played before, so I don’t know too much about them.
“We have a few players missing, but that gives opportunities to other players to come in and stake their claim. They look to score a lot of goals so it could be an entertaining game.”
Port will be taking a coach load of supporters to the fixture, leaving the Red Jet terminal at 10:55. Kick off is at the earlier time of 14:30.
Isle of Wight fixtures for Saturday 20th September
Games to kick off at 14:00 unless otherwise shown
Harwoods Division 1
Brading Town v Northwood SJ
Cowes Sports Reserves v Osborne Coburg
Oakfield v West Wight
Shanklin v High Park
Ventnor v Bembridge & Vectis
Division 2
East Cowes Victoria Reserves V ECS
Newchurch v Seaview
Niton v Sandown & Lake
Ryde Saints v Pan Community
Combination 1
W&B Reserves v Oakfield Reserves
Bembridge & Vectis Reserves v Ventnor Reserves
ECS Reserves v Shanklin Reserves
High Park Reserves v West Wight Reserves
Sandown & Lake Reserves v Osborne Coburg Reserves
Combination 2
Bembridge & Vectis A v Ryde Saints Reserves
Binstead & COB Reserves v Ventnor A
High Partk A v Newchurch Reserves
West Wight A v Sandown & Lake A
