A depleted Cowes Sports side lost their 4th game in succession to a strong Baffins Milton Rovers side in Portsea Island on Wednesday.
The highlight of the game for the Yachtsmen was a goal for Tommy Jackson on his debut – the 1st Baffins have conceded at their PMC Stadium this season.
With Manager Max Draper still self-isolating, assistant manager Alex Smith took charge, returning after illness himself. The Yachtsmen were missing 9 key players: John McKie, Conor White, Ewan Cranwell, Finley Phillips, Callum Pye-Poulter, Isaac Cruise, Jimmy Mumford, Callum Chase and Ben Tickner. Former Yachtsmen, Ed Sanders and Alex Przespolewski, were included in the Baffins team.
The game was an even contest for the first half-hour, with inaccurate Baffins efforts sailing over Jamie Linington’s crossbar, and Jimmy Wykes curling over a goal attempt for Cowes. The game sprang to life in the 27th minute, when Connor Furmidge had a powerful shot blocked by Baffins keeper Szymaniak. The home side then took the lead in the 28th minute when Miles Everett was given time and space on the edge of the Cowes box to send his shot into the left corner of the goal (1-0). The Baffins lead was doubled in the 30th minute after Rudi Blankson fired home from 18 yards (2-0).
In the 37th minute, Darren Williams had a strong penalty appeal turned down when he was sent flying close to the Baffins goal line. Shortly before halftime, Jimmy Wykes was put through but lost out to the Baffins keeper in a one-on-one situation.
HT: Baffins Milton Rovers 2-0 Cowes Sports
Baffins killed the game as a contest shortly after halftime by scoring 2 goals in quick succession. First, Rudi Brankson headed home from 6 yards in the 47th minute (3-0). 2 minutes later, George Britton crossed to Miles Everett, who side-footed the ball past Jamie Linington from close range (4-0).
The Yachtsmen made a couple of changes, bringing on Tommy Jackson in place of Scott McFarlane and Mark Robertson in place of Connor Furmidge, and gamely fought to get a goal back. Baffins defender Lee Molyneaux made a superb block to send Darren Williams effort out for a corner, and a 66th minute Aedan Coode free-kick was headed over the bar by James Wykes. However, the Portsmouth side put paid to any chance of a Cowes revival when first Miles Everett blasted a deflected shot into the top left corner of the Cowes goal in the 70th minute to score his hat trick (5-0) Then, former Cowes, Newport and Vics player, Alex Przespolewski, side-footed home a cross to score against one of his old clubs (6-0).
The Yachtsmen battled on and were unlucky not to have scored in the 82nd minute when a James Wykes effort was pushed over the bar by the home keeper. From the resulting corner, Aedan Coode crossed for Tommy Jackson to send a powerful header from the edge of the penalty area into the left corner of the Baffins goal (6-1). However, the Island side’s joy was short-lived when Oscar Johnston waltzed through the Cowes defence a minute later to score a 7th goal for the Portsmouth side.
Cowes Sports: Linington, Ricketts, Sexton (78), Conway, Perrin, McFarlane (53), Wykes (c), Williams, Furmidge (58), Coode, Nash Subs: Jackson (53), Robertson (58), Coshell (78), Pearson, Hatt
After the game, Cowes assistant manager, Alex Smith, said:
“There’s a big divide in this league between the teams that can afford to pay their players and those who can’t. The games we have to win are those against the teams around us. Playing away to teams like Baffins is a free hit for us as we are not expected to win, and any points we can get from such games are a bonus.
“Our aim is not to be looking over our shoulders at Christmas. We have a big game at home to Portland on Saturday.”
Defeat leaves the Yachtsmen in 8th place in the Wessex Premier, with 14 points from 10 games. Saturday’s game against 15th-placed Portland kicks off at Westwood Park at 15.00. A full report will appear in Island Echo.
Weekend Preview
In Wessex League 1, 2nd placed Newport travel to North Hampshire to face bottom-of-the-table Fleet Spurs, a side that recently lost 5-0 to East Cowes Vics. 16th-placed Vics also travel to North Hampshire to play Ash United, who lie one place above the East Cowes side in the league table.
Hampshire FA Vase holders, Brading Town, begin their defence of the trophy with a 1st round home tie against Locks Heath. IW Division 1 champions and league leaders, Whitecroft & Barton, have a home tie against Liphook United Reserves in the same competition.
With W&B playing in a cup competition, 2nd-placed Shanklin and 3rd-placed Bembridge can take top spot in IW Division 1. This Saturday, Shanklin play away to 1st Division newcomers Niton at Nine Acres, and Bembridge are away to Northwood St Johns at Cowes Community club.
Fixtures for Saturday 2nd October 2021:
All Fixtures for Wessex League teams to Kick-Off at 14:00 unless otherwise shown
Wessex League Premier Division: Cowes Sports v Portland United
Wessex Division 1: Ash United v East Cowes Vics; Fleet Spurs v Newport IoW
All Fixtures for Island League teams to Kick-Off at 14:00 unless otherwise shown
Hampshire FA Saturday Trophy 1st Round: Brading Town v Locks Heath First; Braishfield First v Vectis First; Ryde Saints v Whiteley Wanderers Reserves; Sandown & Lake v Compton Reserves; Whitecroft & Barton Sports v Liphook United Reserves
Hampshire FA Saturday Vase 1st Round: AFC Station v Brading Town Reserves; AFC Wootton First v Wroxall; Adgestone v Bitterne United Dorset First; CK Andover v Ventnor First; East Cowes Sports Reserves v Harvest Reserves; High Park v Meon Milton Mens; Horndean United First v Sandown & Lake Reserves; Inmar v Carisbrooke United First; Shanklin Reserves v Ryde Saints ‘A’; Wey Valley v Yarmouth & Calbourne First
Harwoods Renault IOW Saturday League Division 1: Binstead & COB v West Wight (13.30pm); Niton Community v Shanklin; Northwood St Johns v Bembridge; Oakfield v Cowes Sports Reserves
Division 2: Newchurch v East Cowes Sports; Newport Reserves v Pan Sports; Osborne Coburg v East Cowes Vics Reserves; No Fixture: Seaview
Combination 1: Bembridge v Oakfield; Binstead & COB v West Wight (15:45); Ryde Saints v Whitecroft & Barton Sports; No Fixture: Northwood St Johns; Osborne Coburg
Combination 2: Carisbrooke United v AFC Wootton; Pan Community v Bembridge A; Vectis v Newchurch; Yarmouth & Calbourne v Ventnor; No Fixture: Niton Community
Fixtures courtesy of the Isle of Wight DFA
