Vics welcomed Whitchurch United to Beatrice Avenue on Saturday needing 3 points to consolidate their Wessex League survival.
The game began with a minute’s silence to commemorate Vics Chairman Paul Phelps, who sadly passed away last week.
Vics Manager Richie Woodburn was almost up to full strength with his squad, with only Harri Catania missing with a long-term injury.
Whitchurch kicked off, and immediately Vics won the ball. A couple of passing exchanges between Liam Newbold and Jordan Chapman on Vics’ right found Jordan Chapman in space, and his pinpoint pass to Sam Cant gave the young striker time to lift the ball nicely over the onrushing Whitchurch keeper. 1-0 with just 20 seconds gone.
Whitchurch looked to be struggling with Vics’ formation. In the 7th minute, Cant was fouled on the edge of the penalty area, but Ryan Gregory’s tame free kick was collected easily by the Jam Boys keeper. With 22 minutes gone, Vics should have extended their lead when after some wonderful play again on the right, Jimmi Burton’s perfect ball to Toby Snow was knocked over the bar.
Whitchurch were struggling, and their only effort to test Vics keeper Jamie Linnington in the 30th minute was weak, and the young keeper gathered easily.
In the 34th minute, another great ball from Chapman picked out Harrison Yates, and he appeared certain to score when clean through, but the keeper made a great save.
Right on the half time whistle, Sam Cant could have scored his second, but his audacious attempt to chip the keeper was saved.
Half time: East Cowes Vics 1-0 Whitchurch United
The Jam Boys came out in the 2nd half seeking an equalizer and within a minute a move which saw a Whitchurch forward fouled by Aiden White was given as a penalty by the referee, but with the assistant flagging, the foul was deemed to have been outside of the box. Whitchurch centre forward Nathan Lynch curled the resulting free kick superbly around the Vics wall (1-1).
Vics responded in the 53rd minute when a wonderful run into the Whitchurch box saw Aiden White bowled over, the referee pointed to the spot and up stepped Ryan Gregory to calmly send the Whitchurch keeper the wrong way (2-1).
Vics were in the ascendancy now, and Chapman and Oliie West could have added to Vics tally. In the 63rd minute, Vics scored a 3rd goal through Jimmi Burton after a sublime through ball from Sam Cant (3-1).
The Jam Boys now looked a beaten side and 0n 76 minutes, Aiden White’s ball to Sam Cant was dispatched nicely for the striker’s second goal of the afternoon (4-1).
With the game now out of reach for the Jam Boys, they had an opportunity to make the score look slightly more respectable when Nathan Lynch found himself unmarked in the Vics penalty area, but the centre forward blasted his effort from 6 yards high over the crossbar.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 4-1 Whitchurch United
After the game, Vics manager Richard Woodburn said:
“This was a massive 3 points for us! It was a great team performance, with Brandon Hayward the stand-out performer in a well-deserved victory.”
Vics’ win leaves them in 16th place in Wessex League 1 with 24 points from 28 games, 8 points above Fleet Spurs in the relegation drop zone.
This Tuesday (8th March), Vics travel across the Solent to play 2nd-placed Folland Sports. On the same evening, Cowes Sports have an away tie at Bashley.
On Wednesday (9th March) – not Tuesday as reported in some local media – Newport entertain bottom club Totton & Eling at Beatrice Avenue, East Cowes. Kick-off is at 19:45.
