Newport have advanced to 2nd spot in Wessex Division 1 after comfortably beating 4th-placed Downton on a poor Smallbrook pitch this afternoon (Saturday 28th January).
The Port attacked from the off with Jordan Browne shooting narrowly past the right post in the 4th minute and Connor Kelly missing the upright by inches in the 11th. The Port had further chances on the half hour mark when Josh Younie had a near post effort saved by the Downton keeper, after which Connor Kelly sent a dangerous ball across the Downton box, which Jordan Browne failed to convert.
In the 36th minute, Port winger Connor Kelly broke through the Downton defence but was brought down just outside the penalty area. 4 minutes later, Kelly sent a curling effort just over the crossbar.
The County Town team had the lion’s share of 1st half chances but lacked the finishing touch. Downton threatened little at the other end of the pitch.
Half time: Newport IoW 0-0 Downton
The Port started the 2nd half looking far more likely to score. Jacob Reynolds hit the crossbar in the 49th minute, following which Joe Craig headed the ball into the back of the Downton net but was denied by the linesman’s offside flag.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 50th minute when Jordan Browne converted a Josh Younie cross with a spectacular flying header (1-0).
Browne came close to getting a 2nd goal on the hour mark when he failed to convert a Kelly cross. In the 65th minute, the luckless Jacob Reynolds saw his header cannon off the crossbar, following which he was forced off the pitch with a nosebleed to be replaced by Rafferty Boyd-Kerr.
Substitute Boyd-Kerr had the final word in the game in the 86th minute when he rifled a low shot into the left-hand side of the goal to score his 1st goal for the County Town club (2-0).
Full time: Newport IoW 2-0 Downton
Newport IoW: Pitman, Colson, Hancott, Reynolds, Oatley, Barron, Kelly, Triggs, Craig, Browne, Younie Subs: Chapman, Boyd-Kerr, McDonough, Nash, McCormack (gk)
After the game, Newport manager Steve Brougham had little to say, other than “it was a great performance”.
The Port’s win leaves them in 2nd place in Wessex Division 1, 1 point behind leaders New Milton Town but with 4 games in hand. Newport play New Milton Town at Smallbrook next Saturday.
Highlights of Newport IoW v Downton below (video Robert Lunn):
ASH UNITED 1-2 EAST COWES VICS
East Cowes Vics won for the 1st time in 22 games in North Hampshire.
This was Alex Smith’s 1st win in 4 attempts for Vics as well as his 1st victory at the helm of a senior men’s side.
New recruit Harrison Taylor was man-of-the-match for Vics, scoring a penalty, then setting up Sam Cant to blast the ball into the back of the net.
After the match East Cowes Vics boss Alex Smith said:
“I’m pleased for my players more than anything. They’ve worked hard in training. Harrison Taylor has given me 100% commitment from the day he signed from Oakfield.
“However, my standards are high, and I was very disappointed to concede a goal. We’ve got a lot more work to do and points to get, beginning with our game against Totton & Eling on Tuesday.”
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, Greenslade, West, Chase, Taylor, Cant, Lyon, Marsek, H. Yates, Radford Subs: Lloyd, Ashley, Backshall, Walsh, Berry
East Cowes Vics’ win leaves them 3rd-from-bottom of Wessex Division 1, 3 points behind 17th-placed Whitchurch United.
All the goals from Ash United v East Cowes Vics below:
Bournemouth Poppies 0-3 Cowes Sports
The Yachtsmen have ended their 11-game winless run by knocking 3 goals past Bournemouth to record their first victory since October.
Fin Phillips opened the scoring for Cowes in the 35th minute for the Islanders to lead by a single goal at the half time interval.
Jared Wetherick doubled the Yachtsmen’s lead with an 8-yard header shortly after the restart. Fin Phillips then grabbed a 3rd goal for Cowes direct from a corner.
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Conway, Dempsey, West, Watson, McFarlane, C. Neale, Catania, Wetherick, Coode, Phillips Subs: Laird, Bunday, Mumford, Ahmed
After the match, Cowes assistant manager Andy Brown said:
“We needed the lads to show character today, especially on an awful pitch and I’m pleased they all did that in spades, controlling the game from start to finish.
“It was also great to see the lads who were given the opportunity (with players unavailable) taking it.
“3 massive points well deserved and now on to Tuesday, another tough game away to Hythe & Dibben.”
The Yachtsmen’s win leaves them in 18th place in the Wessex Premier, 1 point above 19th-placed Pagham.
