Whitecroft & Barton Sports inflicted Shanklin’s only defeat against an Island League side this season to win the Island Echo Challenge Cup on Thursday evening.
W&B dominated the game in part due to poor discipline from a Shanklin side that had 2 players sent off and a further 2 sinbinned.
The Sandy Lane side began the game on the front foot with Liam Harper shooting past the right post in the 2nd minute.
Shanklin were reduced to 10 men early in the game when Wayne Newnham was sinbinned for a remark to referee Callum McFarlane.
W&B continued to press with 1st Matt Evans having a shot cleared off the goal line, then Joe Rayner putting the ball into the back of the Shanklin net from the middle of the penalty area (0-1).
Newnham returned to the pitch only to be substituted for Chris Elliott. However, on leaving the pitch, he made further remarks to the referee leading to his being red-carded.
As Elliott had yet to enter the field of play, the red card should have resulted in Shanklin playing with 10 men for the remainder of the game. However, they were allowed to continue with 11.
In the remainder of the 1st half, W&B had multiple opportunities to extend their lead, with Sam Yelland and Joe Rayner heading wide and Matt Evans forcing 2 good saves from Shanklin keeper Linington.
The half ended with W&B keeper Gareth True tested for the 1st time by a Ryan Gregory free kick, which he saved comfortably.
Half time: Shanklin 0-1 Whitecroft & Barton Sports
Shanklin applied plenty of pressure in the 2nd half but were unable to break down a resolute W&B defence. However, Shanklin’s discipline was again found wanting towards the end of a game which they finished with just 9 men.
In the 53rd minute, W&B player-manager Gareth True was forced to save a close-range effort from George Carter-Knight with his feet. 5 minutes later, Nicky Vyse had a shot stopped by True after a good run down the right. In the 75th, Shanklin had a header cleared off the W&B goal line.
The Seasiders were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes left on the clock when substitute Neo Lamb committed a professional foul on Liam Harper. Shanklin goalkeeper Jamie Linington was forced to make a good save to stop W&B scoring from the resulting free kick.
Shanklin’s disciplinary woes worsened when Jason Smythers was sinbinned shortly before the full-time whistle.
The most exciting moment of the game came in the 88th minute when substitute Alex Wright volleyed the ball from 25 yards past Linington and into the top corner of the Shanklin net (0-2) to seal a memorable victory for W&B over their fiercest rivals Shanklin.
Full time: Shanklin 0-2 Whitecroft & Barton Sports
Shanklin: Linington, Young, Smythers, Oatley, Newnham, Gregory, Cook, Drew, Vyse, Wilson (c), Carter-Knight Subs: Turner, Sanderson, Lamb
Whitecroft & Barton Sports: True, Lambert, Martin, Williams, Ovnik (c), A. Sainsbury, Yelland, Rayner, Appell, Evans, Harper Subs: East, Calvert, Wright
The Challenge Cup – which was the first time was sponsored by Island Echo in 2023 – was handed to the winning side by Warren Whitmore, Island Echo’s sports reporter.
Shanklin’s Jordan Cook was handed the man-of-the-match award (nominated by the Isle of Wight DFA).
Next Friday (12th May), Shanklin and W&B will resume battle in the final of the Memorial Cup at the Peter Henry Ground in Brading with a 19:00 kick off.
A full report from a reporter actually present at the ground will appear on Island Echo.
Look at mini me there in middle
The little man has a little pecker
Think his partner has more to say on that tiny situation