Match Report: Cowes Sports 2 v 0 Newport IW

MATCH OFFICIALS: Referee – LEE NOWACKI

Assistants – Alistair Taylor + Callum McFarlane

August Bank Holiday Monday arrives which now means only one thing, one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures, this year the visit to Westwood Park of our near neighbours, Newport IW.

Neither side had had the best of starts to the campaign, both winning one, drawing one and two defeats. Two days earlier Cowes had lost 1-4 at Horndean, whilst Newport were on the wrong end of a 0-4 home defeat against Andover Town, also having two sent off.

For this Bank Holiday game Cowes made five changes with Leigh Mackenzie(injured) and Connor Furmidge, George Turner, Oliver McArthur and Callum Chase dropping to the bench, coming in were John McKie, Tom Dye, Jason Malcolmson, Darren Williams and Ewan Cranwell coming into the starting line up. The visitors were without Gary Streeter (injured) and Jared Wetherick, dropped to the bench, from their starting line up against Andover, Josh Younie and Andy Payne coming in.

From recent “derbies” a dull game may have been expected, and for the first half hour most of the play was in and around the midfield area with very few scoring opportunities being created, in fact the only excitement was a couple of yellow cards being shown to John McKie and Tom Dye whilst Newport’s Emerson Tattersall also picked up a yellow card. Cowes started to dominate from this point on. A 35th minute short corner on the right between John McKie and Max Draper ended with the formers cross come shot hitting the base of the right hand upright. Minutes later another John McKie effort was blocked by a defender before rolling through to keeper Andy Payne. Ed Hatts long clearance was not dealt with by the Newport defence and Jimmy Wykes found himself with a chance, but Aidan Sainsbury made a superb block to deny the Cowes player. Newport did have the ball in the net in the 39th minute but Charlie Urry was adjudged offside before Jimmy Wykes blazed wide from 4 yards just before the break.

H-t 0 – 0

Having been sent off in their previous game, Emerson Tattersall, who had looked very lively, but had been booked and then spoken to again, was replaced by former Cowes favourite Jared Wetherick. Cowes Manager Steve Hunt then replaced the hard-working Tom Dye with forward Connor Furmidge. In the 58th minute the best chance of the game so far fell to the home side when skipper Craig Insley headed wide from a Gareth Bricknell free kick. Newport responded when Mark Taylor found himself with a shot at goal, but Ed Hatt got down well to his left to push the ball away to safety to keep the score level. Aidan Sainsbury was replaced by Oliver Wilson for Newport then George Turner came on for the Yachtsmen, replacing Jimmy Wykes. Minutes later and the home side broke the deadlock when a long clearance from Ed Hatt beat Martin McDonough and found its way to John McKie who back healed the ball to substitute CONNOR FURMIDGE who calmly curled the ball round Andy Payne into the left corner of the Newport goal much to the delight of many of the 260 strong crowd. Seconds after the restart Gareth Bricknell and Oliver Wilson clashed with the latter appearing to stamp on the Cowes player clearly seen by the Referee Lee Nowacki who had no hesitation in sending the Newport substitute off. Five minutes later and the visitors were reduced to nine players when Scott Sampson was harshly also shown a red card for apparently elbowing Gareth Bricknell, although I don’t think it was intentional. Ollie McArthur replaced Jason Malcolmson, Cowes’ third and final substitution and a minute later the sub tested Andy Payne with a shot from outside the area. Jared Wetherick was then booked for Newport for kicking the ball away before in the 95th minute the result was settled when Darren Williams saw his shot come back off the left post, he should have scored, the loose ball ran out wide to George Turner whose cross into the box was headed into the right corner of the Newport goal by JOHN MCKIE to secure the three points and send the Westwood crowd home very happy indeed.

TEAMS:-
COWES SPORTS – Ed Hatt, Max Draper, Ewan Cranwell, Aidan Bryan B, Craig Insley (c),Tom Dye B(replaced by Connor Furmidge 52), Jimmy Wykes(replaced by George Turner 70), Jason Malcolmson(replaced by Oliver McArthur 86), Darren Williams, John McKie B, Gareth Bricknell , Subs not used; Callum Chase + Dave Thurman g-k

NEWPORT IW – Andy Payne, Martin McDonough (c), William Quigley, Aidan Sainsbury(replaced by Oliver Wilson S/O), Spike Pearce, Scott Sampson S/O, Mark Taylor B, Jake Ballantyne, Charlie Urry(replaced by Alex Harmer), Josh Younie, Emerson Tattersall B(replaced by Jared Wetherick B)