VICTORY AGAINST FAWLEY SEES VICS STRENGTHEN GRIP ON PLAYOFF PLACE

East Cowes Vics have gone 6 points clear of 6th-placed Fleetlands by beating Fawley at a damp Beatrice Avenue yesterday evening (Tuesday). The loss of leading striker Ji Nash (21 goals) and the unavailability of Jake Wright led to a call up for West Wight’s experienced striker Gareth Bricknell for his 2nd appearance in a Vics squad. The game began with a minute’s applause to remember former manager Graham Daish, who has sadly passed away. Vics began the brighter of the 2 sides with early chances falling for Charlie Marsek and Raff Boyd-Kerr. The East Cowes side took an early 9th minute lead, when a corner from Aedan Coode was taken short to Harrison Yates, whose perfect cross was headed in by Jacob Reynolds (1-0). Jez Conway, Charlie Marsek, Toby Snow and Harrison Yates all had further chances to extend the score line in Vics’ favour but failed to hit the back of the net. At the other end of the pitch, Vics keeper Alex Ram was untroubled throughout the half. Half time: East Cowes Vics 1-0 Fawley

In the 2nd half, Vics frustrated Fawley by keeping possession. It wasn’t until the 67th minute that the Oilers had their first shot on target, which Alex Ram comfortably foiled. Vics brought on their substitutes with Josh Neale replacing Charlie Marsek, Gareth Bricknell coming on for Jez Conway and Brad Young taking the place of Jacob Reynolds. Chances for the 2 sides were few and far between, with Aedan Coode sending the ball over the crossbar in the 70th minute and Ram forced into action in the 72nd. With both sides tiring on a heavy pitch, the game finished uneventfully, with Vics bagging all 3 points. Full time: East Cowes Vics 1-0 Fawley

East Cowes Vics: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Chase, Chapman, Coode, Boyd-Kerr, Conway (Bricknell), Reynolds (Young), Marsek (Neale) Subs (unused): Mumford, Wheeler Man-of-the-match: Jordan Chapman After the game, Vics manager Alex Smith said:

“We knew it would be difficult to score on a heavy pitch against a dogged Fawley side and we told our lads it was vital to get an early goal. So it proved.”

Victory for Vics leaves the East Cowes side 5th with 57 points from 31 games. On Saturday, Vics travel to Powder Monkey Park to face 6th-placed Fleetlands.

YACHTSMEN TAKE VITAL 3 POINTS FROM PLAYOFF PLACE CHALLENGERS LAVERSTOCK

4 2nd-half goals saw Cowes Sports see off Laverstock & Ford in Wiltshire to stay in the race for a playoff place.  George Carter-Knight opened the scoring for the Yachtsmen with a 65th-minute goal by converting a Kelly cross (0-1). Connor Kelly added a 2nd 1 minute from the full time whistle by speeding past a defender before slotting the ball past the Laverstock keeper (0-2). Teenager Will Bridi then scored his 1st goal for the senior side by latching on to a through ball from Kelly (0-3). George Colson added a 4th for the Yachtsmen with a free kick into the top corner of the goal in the 3rd minute of injury time (0-4). Full time: Laverstock & Ford 0-4 Cowes Sports Cowes Sports: Hatt, Mumford, Hancott, Triggs, Oatley, Colson, Phillips (c), Cook, McFarlane, Carter-Knight, Kelly Subs: Neale, W’Bridi, Salter, Weeks, G. Bridi (gk) The Yachtsmen’s win leaves them 7th in the Wessex Premier, 3 points behind 5th-placed Brockenhurst. This Saturday, Cowes Sports travel to 14th-placed Fareham Town.

PORT CONCEDE 5 GOALS AT LEAGUE LEADERS MILLBROOK

A makeshift Newport side were comprehensively beaten by the side top in their division: Millbrook. The Port had travelled to Millbrook without key players, which saw a welcome return for Ventnor’s Charlie Urry in a Newport shirt. Goals from Krysztofowicz (18 minutes), O’Connell (29 minutes) and a brace from Drake (30 and 45+2 minutes) saw Millbrook race to a 4-goal halftime lead. Joe Butcher was unlucky not to score a consolation goal for Newport in the 52nd minute, with an effort that hit the upright before rolling across the goalmouth to hit the 2nd upright. Gray then added a 5th goal for the Southampton-based side in the 63rd minute. Full time: Millbrook 5-0 Newport IW Newport IW: Pitman. Walsh, Thompsett, Oatley, McDonough, Lamb, Butcher, Jackson, Browne, Catania, Urry Subs: Parsons, Sayers, Kalaker, Phillips, Bristow Newport remain 14th in Wessex Division 1 with 39 points from 28 games. Tomorrow (Thursday), Port take on Folland Sports at Beatrice Avenue with kickoff at 19:30. In other news, Newport have resigned key defender Scott Barron, who began the season at Cowes Sports.