East Cowes Victoria returned to the top of Wessex Division 1 with a comprehensive victory over Fleetlands at Beatrice Avenue on Tuesday evening.
Victory was all the sweeter for Vics as it was the Coptermen who had denied the East Cowes side a place in the playoffs on goal difference the previous season.
Vics took an early lead in the 9th minute – their 1st goal in over 180 minutes play at Beatrice Avenue – through a Will Pointen own goal after the Fleetlands defender diverted a Rafferty Boyd-Kerr cross into his own goal (1-0).
East Cowes Vics have the meanest defence in their division, and having conceded an early goal, finding a way back into the game was a thankless task for their opponents.
The Victorians continued to harass the Coptermen, with Toby Snow blasting the ball over the crossbar on the quarter hour mark, Josh Neale grazing the bar with a free kick 10 minutes later, and Jacob Reynolds also dispatching the ball over the woodwork.
Caleb Neale was unlucky not to have extended the Victorians’ lead on the half hour mark after finding himself clean through on goal, powering his shot under the Fleetlands keeper and then seeing the ball cleared off of the line by a defender.
Further scoring opportunities fell for the home side, with Jacob Reynolds also sending the ball over the crossbar and Liam Triggs having a 30-yard strike spectacularly tipped over by Matt Gregg the Fleetlands keeper before shooting inches over the bar 4 minutes later. Jacob Reynolds then powered his way into the penalty area on the stroke of half time, blasting the ball straight at Gregg, who parried it away..
The 2nd goal finally came a minute into 1st half time injury time, when a Harrison Yates corner was hammered home from 6 yards at the near post by Elliot Wheeler (2-0).
Half time: East Cowes Victoria 2-0 Fleetlands
The Victorians continued their onslaught on the Coptermen in the 2nd half, with Rafferty Boyd-Kerr directing a glancing header just wide in the 49th minute.
Liam Triggs then scored the goal-of-the-game in the 56th minute: an audacious 40-yard lob from close to the the touchline, which sailed over Matt Gregg to nestle nicely in the Fleetlands net (3-0).
Jordan Chapman attempted a similar clever chip shortly afterwards but narrowly cleared the crossbar.
Vics manager Alex Smith then made several changes to his side, bringing on Zak Sullivan and Gareth Bricknell for Boyd-Kerr and Caleb Neale. Sadly, Sullivan was forced off the pitch injured minutes later, to be replaced by Scott Jones.
Vics keeper Alex Ram – who had had a very quiet night – was finally forced into action 4 minutes from the full time whistle, saving a powerful strike from Fleetlands’ Henry Foster.
Full time: East Cowes Victoria 3-0 Fleetlands
East Cowes Victoria: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold (c), Wheeler, Chapman, Triggs, Boyd-Kerr (Sullivan, Jones), J. Neale (Kirby), Reynolds (Hart), C. Neale (Bricknell) Sub (unused): Cutts
Man-of-the-match: Liam Triggs
Victory for the Victorians leaves the East Cowes side in top spot in Wessex Division 1 with 29 points from 12 games, 2 points ahead of Frimley Green with a game in hand on the team below. Vics have the highest points-per-game average in their division (2.42) and have also conceded the fewest goals (8).
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