Vics were held at home on Saturday (27th August) by a Millbrook side which had lost all their previous league games.
Vics started the game poorly when a Bobby Gorman cross found Callum Drake in the Vics penalty area for the Millbrook striker to give the Southampton side a shock lead (0-1).
After a poor start, Vics settled and began to play some incisive football with both Ant Kettell and Harrison Yates finding themselves clean through in the Millbrook penalty area, but both strikers scuffed their goal attempts.
Vics made their breakthrough in the 38th minute when Toby Snow played a one-two with Sam Cant on the edge of the penalty area before sending a weak shot past Millbrook ‘keeper Kitcher that trickled over the goal line (1-1).
Snow was close to adding a 2nd goal to his tally in 1st half injury time when he sent a strike narrowly past the Millbrook upright.
Half time: East Cowes Vics 1-1 Millbrook
The Dockers shocked Vics for a 2nd time when Richard Sesay rounded 2 Vics defenders before knocking the ball past keeper Ram in the 48th minute (1-2). However, the Millbrook player appeared to have won the ball by fouling Keelan Walsh.
Vics replied 3 minutes later when a perfectly timed through ball from Jordan Chapman found Sam Cant, who knocked the ball confidently past Kitcher (2-2).
In the 53rd minute, Millbrook had captain Sean Haines sent off for a professional foul on Jared Cousins on the edge of the Millbrook penalty area.
Further controversy followed in the 60th minute when Pasieka and Cousins clashed in the Millbrook penalty area, leading to the Millbrook defender physically throwing Cousins to the ground. Inexplicably, both players were booked.
Cousins was again manhandled by Pasieka in the penalty area a few minutes later, but again no penalty was awarded.
2 minutes from full time came the most controversial incident of the game when Sam Cant headed home to put Vics into the lead for the 1st time in the game. However, the referee ruled that the ball had earlier gone out of the field of play and controversially disallowed Cant’s “goal”.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 2-2 Millbrook
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, K. Woodford, White, Walsh, Cousins (Tuckey), Chapman (c), Lyon, Cant, Kettell (Haylor), Yates Subs: B. Woo0dford (gk), Sheerin, Lacey
East Cowes Vics manager Richard Woodburn appeared incensed by some of the refereeing decisions but was uncharacteristically tight-lipped after the game, simply claiming that “everyone saw what happened”.
The Vics manager also said:
“Before the season, everyone had written us off after our losing some of our players. However, we now have a win, 2 draws and a defeat. We are doing OK.”
Vics next play Totton & Eling at Beatrice Avenue on Tuesday evening (30th August).
Newport IW 0-0 Warminster Town (Newport won 4-2 on penalties)
Newport have advanced to the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Vase after beating Western League Warminster Town on penalties in a bad-tempered game.
The match itself was goalless but marred by Newport midfielder Jacob Reynolds being sent off in the 28th minute after a clash between both sets of players.
Worse was to follow in the 2nd half when both substitute goalkeeper Gary Streeter and manager Steve Brougham were booked for dissent. Brougham was booked for a 2nd time in the 90th minute and thus red carded.
The scorers for Newport in the penalty shootout were Liam Triggs, George Colson, Leon Pitman and Connor Kelly (who scored the winning penalty)
Newport IW: Pitman, Colson, Triggs, Barron, Sampson (c), Pearce, Kelly, Reynolds, Wetherick, Lamb, Younie Subs: Cutts, Smith, McCormack, Streeter
The FA Vase Qualifying tie was played at Warminster despite Newport being drawn at home. The Port’s temporary home of Smallbrook Stadium was unavailable for the fixture.
Newport were unable to play the game at Beatrice Avenue because Vics were playing at home on Saturday. Neither were the County Town club able to move the fixture to a different day as they had not nominated Beatrice Avenue as an alternative ground to the Football Association. Therefore, the team and its supporters were forced to make the long journey to Wiltshire.
This Tuesday (30th August) Newport travel to North Hampshire to face Petersfield Town in the Wessex League Cup.
Against a team who had lost their previous games by 1/2 goals. Stop rim licking Newport and Cowes Warren
Hahaha sour grapes, what difference does that make how many goals they lost by?