East Cowes Vics were comprehensively beaten by Fawley at Beatrice Avenue on Tuesday evening (6th December).
Vics were without highly rated regular keeper Alex Ram (suspended), who has been attracting interest from mainland clubs. His absence gave the East Cowes side little chance of taking anything from the game.
The East Cowes side started the match with Island league Bembridge keeper Adam Ross in goal. Disaster struck as early as the 2nd minute when Ross failed to hold a long ball and Fawley No6 Jacob Sheath knocked the spilled ball into the back of the net from close range (0-1).
Vics then went 2-down in the 11th minute when dangerous Albanian midfielder Indrit Elezi latched on to a long ball and shot it past Ross (0-2).
The Oilers’ 3rd came on the half hour mark after a mix up between goalkeeper and defender allowed Will Hammerton to poke the ball past Ross (0-3).
Shortly before half time, Elezi bagged his brace by lobbing Ross from the middle of the penalty area (0-4).
Half time: East Cowes Vics 0-4 Fawley
Vics made 3 changes to their 2nd half line up. Keelan Walsh replaced Liam Newbold, who had picked up a 1st half booking; 16-year-old reserve keeper Lewis Flux took Ross’ goalkeeper’s jersey; Harrison Yates came on for Barry Calvert.
Sam Cant pulled a goal back for Vics on the hour mark from a throw in, needing 2 attempts to beat the Fawley keeper from close range (1-4).
Vics were still battling, and Charlie Marsek came close to pulling a 2nd goal back for the East Cowes side with a shot that missed the far post.
In the 65th minute, Stu Green extended the Oilers’ lead by lobbing Flux (1-5). 10 minutes later, Fawley increased their lead to 5 goals through a deflected shot from outside the penalty area from Tom Domcon (1-6).
Harrison Berry was then sent off for a reckless challenge which earned him a 2nd yellow card.
3 minutes from full time, Dylan Knight scored Fawley’s 7th – a shot-cum-cross that Flux failed to stop (1-7). Vics were saved by the upright from conceding a 90th-minute 8th goal.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 1-7 Fawley
Vics: Ross, Snow, Woodford, Berry, Newbold, West, Chapman, Lyon, Cant, Calvert, Marsek Subs: Walsh, J. Yates, Tuckey, H. Yates, Flux
Vics – who have failed to win a home game in 8 attempts – remain 3rd-from-bottom in Wessex Division 1 with 10 points from 17 games.
MILLBROOK 0-3 NEWPORT IOW
Normal service resumed for Newport as they returned from Southampton-based Millbrook with all 3 points to end their 3-game winless streak.
Joe Craig gave the Port the lead as early as the 4th minute, which he followed up by sending a header crashing off the crossbar (0-1).
The County Town team continued to create chances in the 1st half with Scott Barron and Connor Kelly coming close to extending the Island side’s lead.
Port then went 2-up before the half time break after Joe Craig was impeded in the penalty area and Connor Kelly converted the resulting spot kick (0-2)
Craig went on to bag a brace in the 2nd half when the Milbrook keeper could only parry an effort from Ji Nash, which he dispatched into the back of the net (0-3).
Newport IoW: Pitman, Colson, Butcher, Reynolds, Oakley, Barron, Kelly, Boyd-Kerr, Younie, Craig, Nash Subs: Hancock, Streeter, McDonough, Grandvoinet
Port’s victory leaves them in 4th place in Wessex Division 1 with 35 points from 15 games, 4 points behind leaders New Milton Town but with 4 games in hand.
Video: Robert Lunn
BAFFINS MILTON ROVERS 3-0 COWES SPORTS
In the Wessex Premier, 3 late goals saw the Yachtsmen scuppered at Portsmouth-based Baffins.
The Yachtsmen held out until the 70th minute when Baffins’ Miles Everett was brought down in the box and Steve Ramsey converted the resulting spot kick (1-0).
A minute later, Tom Vincent added a 2nd for the home side (2-0). Finally, in the 1st minute of injury time, Vincent bagged a brace for Baffins (3-0).
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Dempsey, Mumford, Watson, Laird, Hayward, Conway, Phillips, Coode Subs: C. Neale, McKie, Catania, Wetherick, Ahmed
Defeat leaves the Yachtsmen – who are on a 9-game winless streak – 16th in the Wessex Premier with 14 points from 17 games.
Newbold! Where’s the goals at this season! To busy moaning I aspect