East Cowes Vics began their season on the front foot with a workmanlike victory over Southampton-based Millbrook.
The 1st half was a fairly even contest with chances for both teams. The 1st scoring opportunity fell for the Dockers’ Mark Barker, who shot directly at Vics keeper Ram from close range in the 6th minute.
On the quarter hour mark, Josh Neale just failed to connect with a ball across the penalty area. In the 17th minute, Vics had an effort from a corner blocked on the goal line. Alex Ram was called into action again when he was forced to dive full stretch to prevent a goal directly from a corner.
The Final scoring opportunity came a minute before the half time interval when Ji Nash shot over the Dockers’ crossbar from a promising position.
Half time: East Cowes Vics 0-0 Millbrook
Vics returned rejuvenated from the half time break. The deadlock between the 2 sides was broken through a brilliant individual goal from Josh Neale, who took the ball from just inside the Dockers’ half, got past a defender before slotting the ball past the advancing keeper (1-0).
The Dockers lost their discipline in the 70th minute when Ayuba Yakub – who had already been booked – appeared to attempt to headbutt Aedan Coode and was given his marching orders. Jake Long was 1st booked and then sinbinned for the away side during the same incident, leaving Vics playing against 9 men.
6 minutes before full time, substitute Charlie Marsek doubled the Vics lead with a low near post shot from a corner (2-0).
However, Vics had to endure a nervous few minutes of injury time when Nick Beatie pulled a goal back for the Southampton-based side through an overhead kick.
Beatie was then lucky not to have been sent off when he committed a professional foul on Toby Snow in the 3rd minute of stoppage time.
Full time: East Cowes Vics 2-1 Millbrook
After the game, Vics manager Alex Smith pointed out that Millbrook had put on a more fluent 1st half performance having already played 1 competitive game on Saturday, whereas Vics had had their opening fixture postponed.
Smith was especially pleased with the performance of captain Callum Chase, who made numerous decisive interventions to block goal attempts by a dangerous and experienced Millbrook front line.
He also singled out a cameo performance from substitute Charlie Hart for praise, anticipating a bright future in football for the 16-year-old as he gains in strength and experience.
East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Chase, Tylor, Reynolds (Sanderson), Chapman (Boyd-Kerr), Nash (Marsek), Coode (Hart), Neale Sub (unused): Mumford
COWES CONCEDE 4 FOR 2ND SUCCESSIVE HOME GAME
A 1st half own goal and 3 2nd half strikes from Baffins Milton Rovers saw the Yachtsmen lose their opening home game of their 2022/23 Wessex League campaign.
Cowes began the game brightly and had the better of the 1st half. The Yachtsmen’s 1st scoring opportunity came on the quarter hour mark from a Fin Phillips strike that went agonisingly wide. Liam Triggs had an opportunity to head the home side in front in the 28th minute but missed the target. 5 minutes later, captain John McKie saw his effort well saved by the Baffins keeper.
At the other end of the pitch, Hatt was twice called into action in the 19th and 31st minutes to prevent Rovers from taking the lead.
Disaster struck for the Yachtsmen 4 minutes before the half time interval when Dempsey deflected the ball into his own goal (0-1)
Half time: Cowes Sports 0-1 Baffins Milton Rovers
Captain McKie came close to equalising for the Yachtsmen 5 minutes after the half time break when his shot was pushed over the crossbar by Baffins keeper Deacon.
However, the remainder of the game belonged to the visitors. In the 55th, Cal Benfield latched on to a pinpoint cross to double the Baffins lead (0-2). 7 minutes from full time, Kelvin Robinson added a 3rd for the visitors (0-3). 3 minutes before the final whistle, Patterson added a 4th for the Portsmouth-based side (0-4).
Scott McFarlane scored a late consolation penalty for the Yachtsmen deep into injury time after having been brought down in the penalty area.
Full time: Cowes Sports 1-4 Baffins Milton Rovers
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Mumford, Dempsey. West, Oatley, Triggs, Cook, Colson, Conway, McKie (c), Phillips Subs: McFarlane, Neale, Ahmed, Barron, Catania
