Cowes Sports hope to banish the blues from their 0-5 defeat to Horndean with a positive performance against Blackfield & Langley at Westwood Park this evening (Tuesday).
The Yachtsmen currently lie in 17th spot in the Wessex Premier, 1 place below Blackfield & Langley. Their opponents won the corresponding fixture 6-0 at Gang Warily earlier in the season.
Victory would see Cowes swap places with their opponents to possibly rise as high as 16th in the league table; defeat could see the Island side only 2 points above Bournemouth Poppies in the drop zone.
Assistant manager Andy Brown says:
“Blackfield & Langley inflicted a heavy 6-0 defeat on us back in November, just before I joined. Since then, like us recently, they have picked up form and are now only one place above us.
“Injury worries are hopefully now starting to ease for us, showing the importance of our squad and for game management. We believe if we remain focused, show the fighting spirit and intensity in our game demonstrated during our three recent wins, then this game is winnable.
“This is also a great opportunity to move above B&L and gain three more valuable points.”
Kick off at Westwood Park is at 19:45.
Wessex Premier table below:
In Wessex Division 1, league leaders Newport face 13th-placed Romsey Town.
The Port have been in indifferent form over recent games despite topping the table, having drawn against average opponents in their last 2 games.
Romsey have won their last 2, beating Verwood Town 0-2 on Saturday.
Newport have 3 teams – Petersfield Town, New Milton Town and Andover New Street – snapping at their heels. Only victory will ensure the County Town club retain top spot.
In other games affecting the top of the table, Petersfield Town face Fleetlands tonight and Andover New Street travel to Whitchurch United tomorrow (Wednesday). New Milton are without a game midweek.
Kick off at Smallbrook is at 19:30.
Wessex Division 1 table below:
Also in Division 1, tomorrow (Wednesday), 15th-placed East Cowes Vics travel across the Solent to face the team immediately above them in the league table: Fawley.
The corresponding fixture at Beatrice Avenue in December saw Vics succumb to a humiliating 1-7 defeat. Since then, Vics have changed managers and form and are now unbeaten in 7 games. On Saturday, Fawley lost 2-1 to bottom side Fleet Spurs.
Vics manager Alex Smith says:
“We have a number of players who are ‘due a goal’. We’ll keep working on the training pitch to make things click from an attacking perspective.
“I’m pleased with how we’re defending overall,l and our spirit and togetherness counts for a lot in the respect.
“3 clean sheets on the bounce and only conceding 2 in 6 games is exceptionally pleasing, so we’ll do everything we can to continue that record at Fawley on Wednesday.”
Kick off for Vics at the Eight Wealth Arena is at 19:45.
