Attendance – 75
Vic Sanders and his Cowes Sports side travelled across the Solent to take on AFC Portchester in this Wessex League Cup tie.
With keepers Ed Hatt and Ben Gearing unavailable for this trip, veteran keeper coach Dave Thurman stepped into the number one shirt whilst James Wykes returned from suspension, the only two changes to the staring line up following Saturdays defeat against Alresford at Westwood.
It was the Island side that fashioned the first chance of the game in the 8th minute when a cross from the left was headed back by Callum Chase to James Wykes who volleyed over the bar from 20 yards. With their first attack the home side took the lead on 10 minutes with a MICHAEL TURVEY strike. Neither side then troubled the opposition keeper for the next 25 minutes or so before, on 35 minutes a Gareth Bricknell free kick from the Cowes right wing was cleared for a corner by a home defender. The Yachtsmen’s skipper made his way across to the left to take the corner which he hit towards the near post. Their defender made a poor attempt to clear sending the ball only up in the air to ASHLEY BRETT who chested the ball down before firing past Ryan Young in the home goal. Shortly before the break the home side were reduced to ten – for the third time in four games at their ground, when Sean Wain was yellow carded for a second time for fouling James Wykes. From the resulting free kick the ball bounced back off the right post as the Yachtsmen came close to taking the lead.
Aidan Bryan replaced Charlie Allen at half time for Cowes Sports. A fairly even start to the second half until the 68th minute when DANIEL SIMMONDS was given time and space on the edge of the Cowes box to fire the ball into the top corner of Dave Thurman’s net to again give the home side the lead. Ryan Gardner replaced Jacob Jarvis, but it was the hosts that were now in the ascendancy and were rewarded with a third goal when a speculative shot from 30 yards caught Dave Thurman unsighted and the ball found the corner of the goal. Michael McEnery came on for Callum Chase as Cowes threw everything at their hosts. Although Portchester came close to adding a fourth goal when a 25 yard free kick hit the top of the bar. Gareth Bricknell fed Jez Conway some 35yards from goal, he in turn clipped the ball over a defender for Dominic Sexton too run onto before his shot was well saved by Ryan Young. James Wykes then met a cross from the left by Michael McEnery, but sent his header just wide of the far post. Despite their best efforts Cowes could not find the net as they bowed out of the League Cup but they put up a brave fight.
Referee:- TIMOTHY GODFREY Assistants – Kieran Forrest + James Tolley
Team:-
Dave Thurman, Conor White, Dominic Sexton, Ashley Brett, Jack Broomfield, Charlie Allen, Callum Chase, Jacob Jarvis, Jez Conway, Gareth Bricknell (c), James Wykes
Used Subs; Aidan Bryan(Charlie Allen) 46, Ryan Gardner(Jacob Jarvis) 70, Michael McEnery(Callum Chase) 77
Unused Sub; Samuel Kirby