Cowes Sports put Saturday’s 0-5 defeat behind them by knocking 4 goals past a competitive Blackfield & Langley side at Westwood Park on Tuesday evening.
The Yachtsmen also got revenge for their humiliating 6-0 defeat at Gang Warily earlier in the season.
The Island’s sole Wessex Premier representatives earned their victory through some clinical finishing at the start and end of the game together with a string of crucial saves from goalkeeper Ed Hatt.
Pan boys Harri Catania and Mark Taylor gave the hosts a 2-goal advantage in the opening quarter-of-an-hour.
Catania opened the scoring after just 47 seconds by heading in a Fin Phillips corner from 5 yards (1-0).
Catania then forced a good stop from the Blackfield & Langley goalkeeper with a fierce shot in the 10th minute.
Mark Taylor doubled the home side’s lead with a shot from just inside the penalty area on the quarter hour mark (2-0).
Keeper Ed Hatt was largely responsible for preserving the home side’s lead until the half time break. In the 24th minute, Ed parried a shot just past the post. 2 minutes later, Blackfield & Langley hit the post.
In the 36th minute, Ed pulled off a great 1-handed stop to prevent what appeared to be a certain goal. 2 minutes from half time, Hatt managed to save Blackfield’s final attempt from Sam Woodward.
Half time: Cowes Sports 2-0 Blackfield & Langley
A header from the much-travelled Blackfield & Langley captain Zak Pickett pulled a goal back for the away side on the hour mark (2-1).
5 minutes later, the luckless Sam Woodward brought off another vital save from Ed Hatt.
Having weathered the storm, Captain John then made victory certain for the Yachtsmen in the 77th minute. McKie picked the ball up just inside the opposition’s half after their centre back had misjudged a header then outstripped the defence, drawing the keeper out before slotting the ball past him (3-1).
10 minutes from full time, that man John McKie bagged his brace by blasting a half-volley past the Blackfield keeper from a tight angle (4-1).
Cowes Sports should have finished the game with 5 goals after Caleb Neale was brought down in the Blackfield penalty area deep into injury time. Returning striker, substitute Connor Furmidge, sent the resulting penalty too close to the Blackfield keeper, who stopped it easily, keeping the winning margin at 3 goals.
Full time: Cowes Sports 4-1 Blackfield & Langley
Cowes Sports: Hatt, White, Whittle (Dempsey ’53), Conway, West, McFarlane, Catania, Hayward (C.Neale ’65), McKie (Coode ’81), Phillips (Furmidge ’78)
After the game, assistant manager Andy Brown said:
“We gave the lads a game plan and also asked the lads to start with intensity on front foot. They all did that, getting us off to a great start, with goals from Harrison Catania and then Mark Taylor. That was great for them both and for the team to have others scoring.
“Ed at the other end had a great game both defensively and offensively when called upon. We all defended well as a team with fighting team spirit throughout and were well organised and focused.
“The 2nd half did not start as well and on previous occasions once we conceded we may have folded; however, today the lads all showed the qualities they have and went on to win and further extend the lead with 2 great goals from John (at key times of game) who was leading by example.
“I’m so pleased for the club to give them a performance to be proud of and start to move us up the table with another win.”
PORT GO 3 POINTS CLEAR AT TOP OF DIVISION 1
A single goal from centre forward Jordan Browne was sufficient to see Newport extend their lead at the top of Division 1 to 3 points.
The goal came in the 1st half from a long Jacob Reynolds free kick to Joe Craig, who had his shot parried by the Romsey keeper into the path of Jordan Browne, who converted from 3 yards from the goal line (1-0).
The Part had few further scoring opportunities other than a curling 2nd half shot from Ji Nash which went inches past the left post.
Romsey Town finished with 10 men after their number 11 was sent off for dissent.
Full time: Newport (IoW) 2-0 Romsey Town
Newport (IoW): Pitman, Hughes, Hancott, Reynolds, Oatley, Barron, Triggs, Boyd-Kerr, Browne, Craig, Chapman Subs: Nash, Smith, Lamb, Kelly, Burford
Video: Robert Lunn
Wessex League tables: Premier (L) Division 1 (R)
