Cowes Sports lost to a 79th minute goal at the Zilch Waste Stadium yesterday evening (Tuesday) to possibly the strongest side in England’s level 5 – AFC Portchester.
Portchester – who brought over 100 travelling fans – have the highest points-per-game average (2.686) of any side in the country.
Such was the strength of the Portchy side that they had former Portsmouth professional Brett Pitman on the substitutes bench at the start of the game.
The Yachtsmen were understrength with Oli Flood and Fred Salter both making the starting line up for the first time.
Cowes began brightly with a strong penalty appeal for a foul on Jared Tout-Walters not given in the 4th minute. In the 11th minute, Tout-Walters won a free kick in a promising position, which Scott McFarlane blasted at Portchy keeper Mowthrorpe.
It was Portchy that dominated possession without finding the vital finishing touch in the final third. The best chance for the away side came in the 23rd minute when captain James Cowan rattled the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. Further chances followed for Josh Clack, who smashed the ball into the side netting, and Ryan Pennery, who twice shot inches wide.
The Yachtsmen were weakened in the 36th minute when defender Callum Chase was forced off the pitch to be replaced by Charlie Haward.
The final scoring opportunity for the Yachtsmen came 5 minutes from half time when Ryan Oatley had a shot headed away by a defender after Mowthorpe had fumbled a corner.
Half time: Cowes Sports 0-0 AFC Portchester
Portchy continued to dominate the 2nd half but were kept at bay until late in the game by some desperate defending and a couple of superb saves from Cowes man-of-the-match – keeper Ed Hatt.
The Yachtsmen looked lively on the break with Jared Tout-Walters blasting the ball over the crossbar in the 68th minute. Hatt’s best save came in the 74th minute, diving to his right to make a Banksesque one-handed stop to deny Brett Pitman.
The breakthrough for Portchester came from a thunderous volley from Marley Ridge, whose 79th-minute goal – assuring Portchester of the Wessex Premier title – brought scenes of joyous celebration from the travelling faithful to the Zilch Waste Stadium.
Full Time: Cowes Sports 0-1 AFC Portchester
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Hughes, Flood, Chase, Oatley, Phillips, McKie (c), Cook, McFarlane, Salter, Tout-Walters Subs: Fever-Norton, Haward, Lovett-Fenner, Wightwick, Backshall Man-of-the-match: Ed Hatt
AFC Portchester: Mowthorpe, Clack, Bailey, Howes, SWillcox, Searle, Cowan (c), Wilkins, Wort, Pennery, Brook Subs: Davies, Pitman, Lee, Williamson, Ridge
After the game, Cowes co-manager Mark Woodhouse said:
“I’m really proud of the lads. What a great achievement to hold the worthy champions to a very hard fought win.
“We said to the boys in the dressing room that we want them to come here and earn that victory. I couldn’t ask any more of them – the way they were brave on the ball and the way they defended. Hatt made some tremendous saves, and we created chances as well.
Portchy had to tax everything they had and empty their bench to beat us.”
Defeat for Cowes leaves them 11th in the Wessex Premier with 45 points from 35 games. Portchester are confirmed as Wessex League champions with 2 games of their season remaining.
