East Cowes Vics were left wondering how they came away empty-handed after creating enough chances to take something from Saturday’s game.
Vics went into the game having won 2 of their opening 3 Wessex Premier Division matches and looking to build on a promising start to the new campaign.
With joint manager Alex Smith away, co-manager Elliot Wheeler and assistant manager Andy Rann took charge of the side.
Vics started brightly, with Will Bridi going close in the 7th minute before Horndean’s Josh Millo fired narrowly wide a minute later.
The visitors took the lead in highly unusual circumstances on 13 minutes. The referee stopped play after Liam Triggs and Theo Glazier were injured challenging for a 50/50 ball and, after both players returned to their feet, restarted the game with a dropped ball.
There appeared to be a misunderstanding, with the Vics players standing still in the belief Horndean would return possession. Millo instead took the ball and slotted it past George Bridi (0-1).
Caleb Dyer fired wide on 19 minutes as both sides struggled to establish a pattern, with clear chances at a premium.
Horndean captain Charlie Oakwell-Bowlan went close with a header after 28 minutes, while Vics’ best opportunity before the interval came when Charlie Hart’s powerful 20-yard effort sailed over the bar.
Half Time: East Cowes Vics 0-1 Horndean
Vics emerged with renewed purpose and almost levelled 3 minutes after the restart. Hart’s effort was heading towards the bottom corner before Horndean goalkeeper Josh Grant produced a superb save to push it around the post.
Harrison Yates then saw a 25-yard effort deflected wide and, from the resulting corner, Josh Neale found a yard of space and drilled an effort goalwards from close range, only for Grant to make another excellent save.
Vics were enjoying plenty of possession and territory, but their failure to take their chances was punished on 53 minutes when a short back-pass was seized upon by Millo. The Horndean striker raced clear, rounded Bridi and doubled the visitors’ advantage (0-2).
Just 3 minutes later, Horndean struck again. A ball knocked back across the penalty area appeared hopeful, but Millo reacted quickest to poke home from 6 yards and complete his hat-trick (0-3).
Vics were stunned after making such a strong start to the 2nd half but kept their heads up and continued to push forward. Neale went close on 59 minutes before Jake Wright struck the upright with a fine effort from 18 yards 5 minutes later.
Neale was clean through in the 74th minute but could only direct his effort at Grant, while late opportunities for Triggs and Neale also went begging.
The final scoreline was harsh on Vics, who enjoyed plenty of possession and territory and created enough opportunities for the game to have easily finished 3-3. However, naive defending proved costly, while Horndean finished their chances clinically and the superb Grant repeatedly thwarted Vics at the other end.
Full Time: East Cowes Vics 0-3 Horndean
East Cowes Vics: G Bridi, Snow, West, Triggs, Yates, Dyer, Chapman, Boyd-Kerr, Hart, J Neale, W Bridi. Subs: C Neale, Haward, Mooney, Wright, Newbold.
Man of the Match: Caleb Dyer
Attendance: 222
Vics were the only Island side in Wessex League action to suffer defeat on Saturday, with both Newport and Cowes Sports recording victories. Reports on both games will follow.
The defeat leaves Vics with 6 points from their opening 4 Wessex Premier Division matches. They are next in action on Saturday 29th August, when they welcome Hamble Club to the J A Dempsey Community Stadium.
