VICS GO 2ND IN WESSEX DIVISION 1 WITH 5TH SUCCESSIVE VICTORY

East Cowes Vics beat Amesbury Town by a single goal at Beatrice Avenue to maintain their 100% record in the season to date. Vics manager Alex Smith had to make 2 enforced changes: with Jacob Reynolds and Toby Snow unavailable, Charlie Hart and Sam Kirby stepped in. As the Southampton Gay Pride Festival had delayed the Amesbury Town coach, referee Chris Cass was forced to put back the kick off by 15 minutes. The Victorians started the game on the front foot, with Josh Neale dispatching an effort inches wide in the 3rd minute. Referee Chris Cass caused controversy in the 17th minute when he waved play on after the Amesbury goalkeeper flattened Charlie Hart, who was clean through on goal. The crowd thought it a definite free kick and possible red card.

Vics had further opportunities to take the lead but Aedan Coode, Rafferty Boyd-Kerr and Charlie Hart failed to take advantage. The home side played some outstanding football, but the end product was somehow missing. Amesbury were also a threat at the other end of the pitch, and Sam Walsh was unlucky with 2 efforts.

The Victorians took a deserved lead 6 minutes from half time. After a well worked short corner, the ball fell for Harrison Yates, and his low cross was dummied by Caleb Neale, which wrong footed everyone but Elliott Wheeler, who knocked the ball into the back of the net from 2 yards (1-0). Charlie Hart was unlucky not to have extended the East Cowes side’s lead a few minutes before half time when he saw a goal attempt flash past the upright. Half time: East Cowes Vics 1-0 Amesbury Town

The 2nd half started at the same frantic pace as the first. Harrison Yates was relentless down the left flank, sending 2 superb low crosses into the box, which were just beyond stretched Vics legs. In the 59th minute, another Yates cross was met by Josh Neale, whose side footed shot was well saved by Michael Horne in the Amesbury goal. Ben Morris was unlucky with a couple of efforts for Amesbury, and strikes from the home side’s Harrison Yates and Josh Neale were both saved by Horne. Amesbury pushed hard for the equaliser, but the Vics back four defended their goal robustly, leaving Vics keeper Alex Ram little to do. Full time: East Cowes Vics 1-0 Amesbury Town

East Cowes Vics: Ram, Kirby, H. Yates, Newbold, Wheeler, Chapman, Coode, Boyd-Kerr, J. Neale, Hart, C. Neale Subs: Berry, J. Yates, Holdsworth, Turner, Cutts East Cowes Vics are now level on points with Alresford Town at the top of Wessex Division 1 but trail on goal difference. This Wednesday, Vics face Port at Beatrice Avenue in the Wessex League Cup.

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YACHTSMEN SAIL INTO NEXT ROUND OF FA VASE WITH EMPHATIC VICTORY

Cowes Sports continued their good cup form with a 2nd successive win on the road – this time at Bournemouth Poppies in the FA Vase. That man John McKie opened the scoring for the Yachtsmen with a 4th minute bicycle kick (0-1). Will Bridi added a second with a poacher’s goal after the Bournemouth keeper had cleared a Ryan Oatley volley off the goal line (0-2). McKie then bagged his brace with a curling shot that bounced down off the crossbar (0-3). Half time: Bournemouth (Poppies) 0-3 Cowes Sports Will Bridi got his brace 10 minutes after the restart by beating the Poppies left back before firing a low shot into the back of the net (0-4). The final goal came 3 minutes from the final whistle when substitute George Carter-Knight was played on by Joe Hancock before rifling the ball past the Bournemouth keeper (0-5). Full time: Bournemouth (Poppies) 0-5 Cowes Sports

Cowes Sports: G. Bridi, Tout-Walters, Dempsey, Chase, Oatley, Hancott, Phillips (c), Jackman, McFarlane, McKie, W. Bridi Subs: Mumford, Carter-Knight, Marsek, Conway, Weeks On Tuesday, Cowes Sports will be looking for their first Wessex League victory of the 2024/25 season against Brockenhurst at the Zilch Waste Stadium (Westwood Park).

COVE END PORT’S UNBEATEN RUN IN NORTH HAMPSHIRE

Newport were beaten for the first time in the season to date by North Hampshire side Cove. Cove began the brighter of the 2 sides, with Port keeper Pitman forced to make a good save and an effort sailing over the crossbar in the first 10 minutes. Ji Nash then had a couple of chances to put Port into the lead: the first smothered by the Cove keeper, the second hit over the crossbar. Nathan Connolly gave the hosts a goal advantage on the half hour mark with a shot Leon Pitman had no chance of saving (1-0). Half time: Cove 1-0 Newport IW Newport began the 2nd half well, with a Josh Younie effort flashing past the upright. Port continued to press, sending a free kick rebounding off the woodwork. However, the Wasps took the lead just past the hour mark from a corner that a Port player bundled into his own goal (0-2). Any chance of the Island side returning across the Solent with something to show for their efforts then all but disappeared when they went down to 10 men, following a 2nd booking for substitute Jamie Wright. Full time: Cove 1-0 Newport IW Newport IW: Pitman, Walsh, Thompsett, Young, Barron, Holbrook, Younie, Oatley, Butcher, Nash, Grace Subs: Myram, Taylor, West, Catania, Wright Port’s defeat leaves them 6th in Wessex Division 1 with 7 points from 4 games. Newport are next in action on Wednesday when they face Vics at Beatrice Avenue in the Wessex League Cup.