W&B RETURN TO DIV 1 TOP SPOT WITH LATE POINT AT WESTWOOD PARK

A goal 3 minutes from the final whistle saw Whitecroft & Barton Sports take top spot in Harwoods Division 1 on goal difference from West Wight on Tuesday evening. W&B needed at least a point from their game against Cowes Sports Reserves at Westwood Park to keep their title prospects in their own hands. Cowes Sports included 3 members of their 1st team squad in their team: forwards Scott McFarlane and Caleb Neale and winger George Carter-Knight; W&B called on the services of East Cowes Vics’ Aedan Coode and Liam Newbold.

The Yachtsmen began the game on the front foot with Flynn Jackman forcing a good save from Linington in the 3rd minute. There then followed a sustained period of W&B pressure with Coode heading past the upright in the 6th minute and shooting wide in the 18th minute, Sam Yelland heading just over the crossbar in the 22nd minute, and Josh Appell dispatching the ball over the crossbar on the half hour mark. Dan Pearson proved a handful for the W&B defence, sending the ball past the left post in the 23rd minute before setting up the opening goal for Carter-Knight to score from the edge of the 6-yard box in the 37th minute (1-0). The 1st half ended with chances for both sides: Pearson forcing a good save from Linington and Bridi denying Aedan Coode.

Half time: Cowes Sports Reserves 1-0 Whitecroft & Barton Sports W&B got back on level terms 5 minutes into the 2nd half when Sainsbury dispatched a perfectly-placed free kick into the top right corner of the goal (1-1). The away side continued to press with Sam Cant seeing a shot deflected past the left post in the 75th minute. The Yachtsmen regained their lead 2 minutes later when McFarlane brought the ball into the penalty area before curling it past Linington (2-1).

W&B – knowing they required at least a point from the game to go ahead of West Wight – made a determined effort to get back on level terms, with Sam Cant going close in the 78th minute. 3 minutes from full time, the visitors secured their precious point when Sam Yelland headed home a Sainsbury free kick. Full time: Cowes Sports Reserves 2-2 Whitecroft & Barton Sports

Cowes Sports Reserves: G. Bridi, Coshell, Benford, Fever-Norton, Whittle, Cruise, Carter-Knight, Jackman, McFarlane, Neale, Pearson Subs: Salter, W. Bridi, Smith Whitecroft & Barton Sports: Linington, Lyon, Lambert, Jackson, Ovnik, A. Sainsbury, Yelland, Frost, Appell, Cant, Coode Subs: Augustus, Rayner, Newbold The draw leaves W&B top of Harwoods Division 1, ahead of West Wight on goal difference with 1 game of the season remaining. Cowes Sports Reserves finish their season in 6th place. Tonight (Wednesday), West Wight face Shanklin at Camp Road; tomorrow (Thursday), W&B play Brading Town at the Peter Henry Ground.

In other Harwoods Division 1 games…

Bembridge 1-3 Brading Town Brading Town have avoided relegation to the 2nd Division by overcoming Bembridge at Steyne Park after conceding an early opening goal. Oli Wilson equalised for the Romans to leave the scores level at full time, with Jake Keetch and Aaron Bennett ensuring victory for the away side with goals in the 80th and 85th minutes. Northwood St Johns H-W High Park Northwood St Johns have also avoided relegation after High Park refused to field a side, conceding the 3 points and relegating East Cowes Sports. High Park manager Stuart Woodmore has blamed the Isle of Wight Divisional Football Association for his team’s refusal to play the game as he had not been informed whether High Park Reserves would be playing in the Junior B Cup Final. Playing 4 reserve team players in the game against Northwood would have made them unavailable for the final. Stuart Woodmore said:

“We have to make this decision on what’s best for our football club not anyone else’s. Congratulations to Northwood on surviving and apologies to ECS.”

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Harwoods Division 1 table below: