East Cowes Vics squandered a 2-goal lead to draw against Hampshire Premier League side Colden Common in their inaugural friendly of the 2021/22 season at Beatrice Avenue on Saturday.
Vics have added some promising new young players to their squad with Charlie Shilson-Marsek and Toby Snow signing from Gurnard and Jamie Wright joining from Vectis. One of the best midfielders on the Island, Sam Cant, will be playing at Beatrice Avenue this season, having left Ryde Saints. Familiar faces absent from the East Cowes squad this season include Aedan Coode and Ji Nash, who have both returned to Cowes Sports alongside Brad Young and Eli Ahmed, who will both be playing for Newport.
Vics dominated the first half, with their prolific striker, Jimmi Burton, opening the scoring with a superb goal in the 20th minute, in which he lobbed a defender on the edge of the penalty area before taking the ball past the Colden keeper (1-0). A minute later, Jimmi had a brace of goals, after stealing the ball from a Colden defender before rounding the Colden keeper for a second time (2-0).
Colden Common pulled a goal back 2 minutes before half time when Vics keeper, Karl Steinborn-Busse, failed to collect a corner and David Paskins slotted the ball home from close range for the visitors.
HT: Vics 2-1 Colden Common
The second half saw a jaded Vics side, clearly lacking in fitness after an enforced 6-month COVID break, put under increasing pressure by their mainland rivals. First, Dan Flux hit the crossbar for the away side 2 minutes after the interval. Then, Vics had a lucky escape in the 64th minute when Colden’s David Perkins was only able to hit the post from a penalty awarded for handball.
Finally, in the 72nd minute, the visitors scored a well-deserved equalizer through a magnificent 25-yard strike from Josh White.
FT: Vics 2-2 Colden Common
After the match, Vics assistant manager, Darren Arnold, said:
“This was our first pre-season friendly. We dominated the first half and had plenty of the ball. However, our fitness let us down in the second half. We now have 8 pre-season games in which we will get quicker and stronger.”
Before the first team game, Vics’ young reserve side beat Colden Common Reserves 2-1 with goals from Matt Walter (25m) and Ben Woodford (55m). Man-of-the-match for the reserve side was 16-year-old Kade Woodford.
Pre-Season Fixtures
East Cowes Vics pre-season fixtures: July 13 West Wight (home); July 17 Brockenhurst (home); July 20 Whitecroft & Barton (home); July 24 Lymington (home); July 27 Brading (home); July 31 Wareham (away); August 3 Shanklin. Vics begin their campaign in Wessex League 1 at home to Infinity on 7th August.
Cowes Sports pre-season fixtures: 10th July Winchester City (home); 17th July Bemerton Heath Harlequins (away); 24th July Pagham (home); 31st July Amesbury (away). The Yachtsmen begin their Wessex Premier League campaign away to Moneyfields on 3rd August.
Newport (IW) pre-season fixtures: 10th July Baffins Milton Rovers (home); 17th July West Wight (at Cowes Enterprise College); 21st July Shanklin (away); 24th July East Preston (home); 31st July Paulsgrove (away). The Port begin their Wessex League 1 campaign at home to Romsey on 7th August.
