Cowes Sports scored 3 late goals to take a point from high-flying Hamble at the Zilch Waste Stadium (Westwood Park) this afternoon (Saturday).
The Yachtsmen took a surprise lead in the 22nd minute when Callum Chase headed home a John McKie cross, which struck the upright before nestling in the back of the visitors’ net (1-0).
The Hamble bench weren’t happy with falling behind to a club in the lower half of the table, leading to 1 of their assistants being yellow carded for some uncomplimentary remarks to the referee.
Hamble hit back 10 minutes from half time through Nick Yeomans, who buried the ball in the bottom corner of Hatt’s goal (1-1).
The away side then took the lead shortly before half time through the lively Clayd Roach, who took the ball round Hatt before directing it into the empty goal (1-2).
Half time: Cowes Sports 1-2 Hamble Club
Hamble extended their lead in the 50th minute with Roach bagging his brace after beating Hatt in a 1-on-1 (1-3)
Roach completed his hat trick in the 63rd minute by blasting the ball into the back of the net off the underside of the crossbar (1-4).
Hamble’s luck changed when Roach appeared about to grab his 4th goal but chose to lob Ed Hatt, who gathered the ball easily.
From that point, Cowes returned to the ascendancy.
In the 68th minute, substitute Jordan Browne scored the goal-of-the-game – a shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the penalty area (2-4).
5 minutes later, a fumble from Hamble keeper Newman allowed Ryan Oatley to head home a corner (3-4).
Captain John McKie came close to scoring an equalising goal 5 minutes from full time but was thwarted by Newman, who dived at his feet.
Man-of-the-match George Carter-Knight then sent the majority of the 179 supporters home happy by dispatching a McKie pass into the bottom right corner to salvage an unlikely point for the Yachtsmen (4-4).
Full time: Cowes Sports 4-4 Hamble Club
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Hughes, Mumford, Chase, Oatley, Phillips, Cook, Carter-Knight, McFarlane, McKie (c), Marsek Subs: Dempsey, Tout-Walters, Conway, Jackman, Browne
The Yachtsmen’s point leaves them 14th in the Wessex Premier with 22 points from 19 games.
Cowes are next in action on Saturday 28th December when they travel to North Island to face Hythe & Dibden.
VICS GO LEVEL ON POINTS WITH NEWPORT IN DIV 1 PROMOTION CHASE
East Cowes Victoria returned to good form with a comfortable victory at Folland Sports.
Vics took the lead on 14 minutes when an Aedan Coode pass found Jordan Chapman, who dispatched an 18-yard strike into the corner of the goal (0-1).
The Victorians could have doubled their lead on 27 minutes – a great run and strike from Josh Neale saw his effort cleared off the line. A minute later, Liam Triggs had his effort blocked, with Aedan Coode hitting the rebound just over. Triggs was then unlucky 5 minutes from half time – just unable to reach a Josh Neale flick on from an Aedan Coode corner.
Half time: Folland Sports 0-1 East Cowes Victoria
Vics came out looking sharp and increased their lead on 50 minutes when an Aedan Coode corner was powerfully headed home by Liam Newbold (0-2).
The Victorians continued to harass the Planemakers, with Elliot Wheeler shooting just wide on 54 minutes and Raff Boyd-Kerr unlucky 5 minutes later. Harrison Yates’ wind assisted free kick from the half way line was then spectacularly pushed onto the crossbar by Plunkett in the Follands goal.
2 minutes later, the travelling Vics fans were treated to a rasping effort from Raff Boyd-Kerr that flew into the net from 25 yards (0-3).
Caleb Neale was unlucky not to have extended Vics’ lead on 80 minutes, and Ben Holdsworth – back from University – was also unfortunate when his drive beat the keeper but smashed against the upright, 3 minutes from the full time whistle.
Full time: Folland Sports 0-3 East Cowes Victoria
East Cowes Victoria: Ram, Snow, Yates, Newbold, Triggs, Chapman, Wheeler, Boyd-Kerr, Reynolds, Coode, J. Neale Subs: Voller, C. Neale, Perrin, Sullivan, Holdsworth
Victory for the Victorians leaves the East Cowes side 6th in Wessex Division 1, level on points with Newport but trailing on goal difference with 2 games in hand.
East Cowes Victoria and Newport IW face off at Beatrice Avenue on Boxing Day.
PHOTOS:
PORT SALVAGE POINT TO STAY IN PLAYOFF POSITIONS
Newport drew with Lymington to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games.
Port began the game brightly with Joe Craig going close in the opening seconds. However, Lymington took an early 8th minute lead through skipper Ben Morris from close range (1-0).
Port were desperately unlucky not to have equalised in the 18th minute after first their keeper was forced into making a double save, then the resulting corner went over the goal line, with the officials failing to award a goal.
The luckless Joe Craig was again unfortunate when he saw his effort cleared off the goal line later in the 1st half. However, captain Maca Watterson made no mistake in the 48th minute when he scored the equalising goal from a corner 6 yards from the goal line to keep Port ahead of Vics in the Wessex Division 1 table ahead of the big Boxing Day Isle of Wight derby at Beatrice Avenue.
Full time: Lymington Town 1-1 Newport IW
Newport IW: Pitman, West, Thompsett, Holbrook, Watterson (c), Oatley, Nash, Younie, Butcher, Craig, Grace Subs: Goldberg, Young, Walsh, Ramage
