East Cowes Vics knocked Newport out of the Wessex League Cup after a penalty shoot out in a dramatic and close-fought game at Beatrice Avenue on Wednesday evening.
Both Vics goals were scored by the Neale twins – Josh in the first half and Caleb in the second.
Newport had the first scoring opportunity in the 5th minute when a Henry West cross was met by the head of Jordan Browne, who sent the ball bouncing off the crossbar.
It was Vics who then went into the ascendancy, with Harrison Yates dispatching a cross in the 7th minute that eluded everyone before sailing past the far post, then Jordan Chapmans having a 20-yard strike saved by Port keeper Pitman.
The breakthrough for the East Cowes side came in the 16th minute when an Aedan Coode pass found centre forward Josh Neale, who blasted the ball into the back of the net from outside the penalty area (0-1).
Port fought back with Jordan Browne having a couple of half chances with headers in the 26th and 29th minutes.
Newport were then forced to make a substitution after an injury to Henry West, who was replaced by the combative Jamie Wright.
The Port’s equaliser came 5 minutes from the half time break, with a fine strike from Joe Butcher from the edge of the penalty area, which sailed through several Vics defenders and past unsighted goalkeeper Alex Ram (1-1).
Half time: Newport IW 1-1 East Cowes Vics
The Victorians began the 2nd half on the front foot, with Port defender Mike Thompsett forced to make a goal line clearance from Caleb Neale, who had rounded Pitman. 2 minutes later, Jacob Reynolds dispatched a lob just over the crossbar.
The East Cowes side regained the lead in the 56th minute when a shot from Raff Boyd-Kerr took a wicked deflection, which was parried by Pitman, but the rebound fell to Caleb Neale, who slotted the ball into the back of the net (1-2).
The Port were very unlucky not to have equalised in the 68th minute after a stooping header from Kai Grace bounced off the upright. Josh Neale then had a great opportunity to extend Vics’ lead in the 74th minute, but his shot sailed wide.
Newport’s equaliser came in the 85th minute when the lively Kai Grace shot across the goal before the ball bounced in off of the post and into the net (2-2).
There were injury time chances for both sides in an enthralling end-to-end contest. For East Cowes Vics, Jacob Reynolds saw Pitman off of his line and hit a lob from 40 yards that went just wide, and substitute Adam Voller went clean through on goal but hesitated slightly, allowing Pitman to smother the ball. Kai Grace had a great opportunity to win the game for Port moments before the final whistle, but his effort hit the side netting.
Full time: Newport IW 2-2 East Cowes Vics
And so to penalties…
Jamie Wright took the first penalty for Port, but Alex Ram went the right way and saved well; Harrison Yates took the first for Vics, which he dispatched into the corner of the goal (0-1). Jordan Browne was next up for Newport with a perfect finish, following which Jacob Reynolds scored for the Victorians (1-2). Brad Young then squeezed an effort past Ram for Port, but Jayden Yates sent his effort sailing over the crossbar (2-2).
Michael Thompsett placed superbly for Newport; Elliot Wheeler’s penalty was hit hard, Pitman got a hand to it, but the ball eluded his grasp (3-3) Port keeper Pitman then stepped up to take the final fifth penalty, but his strike flew over the the crossbar; Jordan Chapman wrong-footed Pitman to win the game for Vics.
Penalties: Newport IW 3-4 East Cowes Vics
Newport IW: Pitman, West, Thompsett, Young, Watterson, Holbrook, Younie, Catania, Browne (c), Nash, Butcher Subs: Myram, Goldberg, Oatley, Grace, Wright Man-of-the-match: Joe Butcher
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, H. Yates, Newbold (c), Wheeler, Chapman, Coode, Boyd-Kerr, J. Neale, Reynolds, C. Neale Subs: Berry, Hart, Kirby, J. Yates, Voller Man-of-the-match: Jordan Chapman
