East Cowes Victoria won their 7th successive game against Aldermaston this afternoon to maintain their 100% record in 2025.
The Victorians began the game with the twin threat of Josh and Caleb Neale up front and Scott Jones dropping to the subs bench.
The home side began the game brightly when – after some good work from Caleb Neale – Harrison Yates shot across the face of the goal, with the ball deflecting off a defender before trickling past Aldermaston keeper man mountain Nathanial Knight and into the net in the 10th minute (1-0).
Vics continued to harass the Aldermaston defence, with Charlie Hart forcing a good save from Knight in the 28th minute, Yates shooting the ball over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area in the 35th minute and Elliot Wheeler heading over 2 minutes later.
However, the Atom Men still provided a potent threat and – 5 minutes from the half time whistle – Liam Triggs brought down one of their forwards inside the penalty area and was yellow carded. Centre forward Jacob Wallace stepped up to comfortably convert the resulting spot kick for the visitors (1-1).
Aldermaston took the lead 2 minutes later when Wallace found himself unmarked on the left side and comfortably dispatched the ball past Fraser Law (1-2) to give the visitors a shock lead.
Half time: East Cowes Victoria 1-2 AFC Aldermaston
Scott Jones made a welcome return to the home side at halftime, replacing Caleb Neale.
The Victorians started the 2nd half with attacking intent, with captain Liam Newbold having a shot from distance tipped past the upright by Knight.
In the 56th minute, Josh Neale was fouled outside the Aldermaston penalty area. Harrison Yates took the resulting free kick, which was headed into the path of Liam Triggs, who knocked the ball into the goal from close range (2-2)
Vics manager Alex Smith then further strengthened his attacking options by bringing on the experienced Gareth Bricknell for Liam Triggs.
In the 79th minute, Scott Jones put the home side into the lead with a close range goal that bounced in off the inside of the upright after an incisive cross from Harrison Yates (3-2).
4 minutes from full time, Vics suffered a scare when keeper Fraser Law was forced to acrobatically punch the ball clear.
Scott Jones then made victory certain for the Victorians in the 5th minute of injury time by stealing the ball off keeper Knight before directing it into an empty net (4-2)
Full time: East Cowes Victoria 4-2 AFC Aldermaston
East Cowes Victoria: Law, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Triggs (Bricknell), Chapman (Sullivan), Wheeler, Boyd-Kerr, J. Neale (Perrin), Hart (Voller), C. Neale (Jones)
Man-of-the-match: Harrison Yates
Speaking after the game, Vics manager Alex Smith said:
“I feel a lot different now to how I felt at half-time, that’s for sure.
“We had a very rocky first half. We were poor, and I don’t usually say that.
“A few home truths were said at half-time. Aldermaston made it very difficult too.
“But in the 2nd half, we kicked on. The most pleasing thing for me was to ask the lads for a reaction – and actually get one.”
Smith said of his substitutes Scott Jones and Gareth Bricknell:
“The game was crying out for a bit more physicality. They showed more physical presence, knowhow and nous, which is what made the difference in the end.”
With all the sides above them in the Wessex Division 1 table winning, Vics remain in 4th place with 53 points from 23 games, 11 points behind leaders New Milton Town but with 3 games in hand.
The Victorians next face Wessex Premier leaders AFC Portchester in the Wessex League Cup on Tuesday evening (4th February), with kick off at 19:30.
Newport IW had their game away to Totton & Eling postponed, with Cowes Sports fixture at Baffins Milton Rovers also falling victim to the weather.
