Cowes Sports have now gone 11 games without a win after conceding a goal to Fareham deep in injury time.
The Creeksiders got the better of the Yachtsmen in a 1st half in which they scored and hit the crossbar twice.
Fareham began the game with attacking intent with a long-range effort by Morris Dench cannoning off the crossbar in the 8th minute.
Cowes then had their chances. In the 11th minute, Mark Taylor shot just past the left post. In the 27th minute, John McKie broke through but had his shot parried by the keeper to see the ball trickle past the left post.
The Creeksiders then took the lead with a 25-yard shot from Jack Nicholas into the lop left corner of Ed Hatt’s goal in the 35th minute (0-1).
The away side were unlucky not to go further ahead when Nicholas had a shot tipped onto the crossbar by Hatt.
The final opportunity of the half fell to Cowes, when Jez Conway had a shot stopped on the goal line.
Half time: Cowes Sports 0-1 Fareham Town
Fareham again took the initiative at the start of the 2nd half with goalkeeper Ed Hatt forced to make good saves in the 49th and 55th minutes.
However, the Yachtsmen equalised in the 70th minute through a superb 25-yard half-volley from Finn Phillips (1-1).
Both sides were playing with attacking intent, although the Creeksiders had the lion’s share of the possession and spent most of the game camped in the Yachtsmen’s half.
Cowes fought hard for the 3 points, bringing on a series of attacking players: Caleb Neale, Jared Wetherick and Eli Ahmed.
The Yachtsmen’s best chance of earning a win came in the 1st minute of injury time when John McKie found himself through but was impeded by a Fareham defender, leading to the 1st and only booking of the game. However, Phillps’ free kick went harmlessly wide.
Then came the sucker punch for the Islanders when Fareham’s Curtis Robbins beat the offside trap to score from 5 yards in the 2nd minute of injury time (1-2).
Full time: Cowes Sports 1-2 Fareham Town
Cowes Sports: Hatt, Laird, Dempsey, Watson, West, McFarlane, Taylor, Catania, Conway, McKie (c), Phillips Subs: C.Neale, Ahmed, Wetherick, Holmes, Bunday
Defeat leaves Cowes in 18th position in the Wessex Premier, just 1 point above 19th-placed Pagham, but having played 3 games more. 2 teams are relegated to Division 1 this season.
Wessex Premier (bottom):
EAST COWES VICS 2-2 HAMWORTHY RECREATION
New Vics manager Alex Smith has picked up his 1st point as manager in his 3rd game in charge of the East Cowes club.
In an eventful 1st half, Hamworthy took an early lead through James King (0-1). Vics captain Callum Chase then equalised for the home side (1-1).
Centre forward Sam Cant gave Vics the lead (2-1) after which Jon Webb levelled for the visitors before the half time break (2-2).
No further goals were scored in the 2nd half.
With 3 teams being relegated from Division 1, Vics remain deep in relegation trouble. They are currently in 18th position, 6 points behind 17th-placed Whitchurch United.
Vics are still without a home win, although they have drawn 6 of the 11 games played at Beatrice Avenue. Their winless run now extends to 21 games.
Wessex Division 1 (bottom):
Cowes Sports are playing themselves into trouble. They really should be good enough to stay up but they can’t afford to keep doing this.
Vics draw at home is simply not good enough. They probably need to win at least 3 or 4 of the remaining 8 home games to stay up – and they haven’t won any. It looks bleak.
As for Newport, the problem they may face with so many postponements is two matches a week for the last month of the season.
Let’s hope they are not too knackered if they have to face the play-offs again. Even better, that they can carry on winning and get the automatic place and win rhe division.