Newport will be hoping to rise further up the Wessex Division 1 table when they take on 17th-placed Alresford Town at the Zilch Waste Stadium this afternoon (Saturday).
Port began their league campaign poorly with 3 successive defeats but are now unbeaten in four. Alresford won their first 2 fixtures in Div 1 before going on a 9 game winless run in all competitions. In their last league game the Magpies were comprehensively beaten 9-2 by Yateley United.
Last season, Newport won the corresponding fixture 5-1 at Beatrice Avenue.
Newport manager Joe Butcher says of his side’s prospects:
“It’s another tough game – our 3rd game in 7 days.
“Every game is an opportunity for 3 points. I think they are a young side which means they can be unpredictable. They’ve not been on the best run but equally have only lost by the odd goal in most games apart from the Yately result.
“We set out standards Tuesday (beating Fleetlands 2-0) and if we can get to those levels, we should be a good match for most sides.”
In the Wessex Premier, 15th-placed East Cowes Victoria take on the team below – 16th-place Millbrook – at Beatrice Avenue.
Vics have lost their last 2 games – both on the road – by a 2-goal margin against Sherborne Town (FA Vase) and Baffins Milton Rovers (Wessex Premier).
The Dockers have had a mixed bunch of results of late, advancing in the FA Vase against Folland Sports and Eversley & California in the Hampshire Senior Cup but losing 4-0 in the league to Hamble.
Also in the Wessex Premier, 11th-placed Cowes Sports travel to the New Forest to face 14th-placed Brockenhurst.
The Yachtsmen have won 3 of their 4 league games to date and have one of the highest points per game averages in their division. However, Cowes have played fewer fixtures than all the teams above them in the table.
Although below Cowes in the table, the Badgers are more than capable of taking the scalps of some of the better teams in the division, as they proved last Saturday by winning 1-3 at Andover New Street.
Cowes co-manager Ian Potts says of the game:
“After a good result in the Vase, we are looking forward to concentrating and playing in the league. Brockenhurst have had a change of manager and a influx of different players early on in the season, so are a bit of a unknown quantity.
“It’s always a hard place to go, but we look forward to it as its a great ground. The lads have trained well as always, and we hopefully will get a result.
“The last time we went to Brockenhurst, we did not get home until the next morning due to the fog, so we pray the weather is ok this time.”
Isle of Wight football fixtures for Saturday 27th September
Games kick off at 14:00 unless otherwise stated
Saturday Vase
Cranborne v Brading Town Reserves
Challenge Cup
Shanklin v Ventnor (13:00)
Northwood SJ v Bembridge & Vectis
Oakfield v Brading Town
Memorial Cup
ECS v Sandown & Lake
Newchurch v East Cowes Victoria Reserves
Newport Reserves v Seaview
Pan Community v Niton
Ryde Saints v Binstead & COB
Junior B Cup
Ventnor A v Vectis A (15:30)
Harwoods Division 1
High Park v West Wight
W&B v Cowes Sports Reserves
Combination 1
Ventnor Reserves v ECS Reserves (13:00)
Bembridge & Vectis Reserves v High Park Reserves
Osborne Coburg Reserves v Oakfield Reserves
West Wight Reserves v Sandown & Lake Reserves
Shanklin Reserves v W&B Reserves (15:30)
Combination 2
Binstead & COB Reserves v Ryde Saints Reserves
Sandown & Lake A v High Park A
West Wight A v Newchurch Reserves
