Match Report – COWES SPORTS v Bashley 17-08-19

Saturday August 17th 2019 – SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE(WESSEX)

PENALTY SAVE BY ED HATT SECURES A POINT FOR YACHTSMEN

COWES SPORTS 1(1)  BASHLEY 1(1)

played at Westwood Park   Attendance – 135

The Yachtsmen looked to bounce back from their FA Cup defeat the previous week.

Manager, Steve Rutter, was again forced to make changes as Darren Williams and Ji Nash joined Joe White, Fin Phillips and Michael McEnery all unavailable. Jez Conway started along with the returning Aidan Bryan and James Wykes. Callum Chase was on fit enough for a place on the bench where he joined Tom Dye, Dom Sexton, Luke Phillips and Keeper Joe McCormack.

Team:-

Edward Hatt, Conor White, Isaac Cruise, Ashley Brett, Aidan Bryan, Ewan Cranwell, Scott McFarlane, Gareth Bricknell (c), Jez Conway, James Wykes, Jacob Jarvis, Subs; Dominic Sexton, Tom Dye, Callum Chase, Luke Phillips, Joe McCormack g/k

Cowes were keen to start on the front foot and their wish was granted as early as the first minute when they forced an early corner which was knocked into towards the near post where ASHLEY BRETT met the ball with a downward header into the right corner of the visitors goal for an early lead to the home side, much to the delight of the 135 crowd. Five minutes in and Bashley won a corner of their own from the Cowes right. Again the ball was swung in towards the near post but Aidan Bryan done enough to put off Bashley striker Harry McGrath who put his header wide of the right hand post. However the New Forest side did not have to wait much longer to be back on level terms as HARRY MORGAN latched onto a through ball before firing past Ed Hatt into the bottom right corner of the Cowes goal via a slight deflection. Cowes responded to being pegged back as a long clearance from keeper Ed Hatt was headed on by Gareth Bricknell for James Wykes whose effort was well blocked by the advancing keeper Jason Collins. A long pass down the owes right found James Wykes who sent in a superb cross, but Jacob Jarvis could only head wide of goal in the 18th minute. Five minutes before the interval James Wykes was fouled a couple of yards outside their box, but Gareth Bricknell sent the resulting free kick just over the crossbar. Bashley were then awarded a 44th minute penalty when Harry McGrath fell over the leg of Isaac Cruise, Lewis Ross stepped up to send the ball goalwards but Ed Hatt chose the right way to dive to his right and push the ball away from danger, a great save by Cowes’ number one. So both sides went into the break all square at one apiece.

With Jacob Jarvis struggling with an ankle injury, Dominic Sexton came on at the start of the second half at left back, Isaac Cruise pushing forward on the left. Two minutes into the half Conor White appeared to be fouled wide on the right, no foul given and Bashley ‘scored’ only to be flagged offside. A couple of minutes later and Harry Morgan raced onto a ball over the top, with Ed Hatt racing off his line the Bashley player toe poke the ball past the home keeper but fortunately wide of the goal as the visitors threatened a second goal. Scott McFarlane then superbly headed the ball out for a corner from inside the six yard box. At the other end Scott then produced a great cross picking out Conor White on the left of the area, hid goal bound shot was cleared off the line by a defender. Cowes were now the better side and creating the better chances. Luke Phillips replaced Isaac Cruise before a quick throw from Dom Sexton found Jez Conway whose shot was blocked, James Wykes drove the rebound against the left hand post before Gareth Bricknell put the ball wide although little time to react. Tom Dye came on for the final moments in place of Scott McFarlane. Cowes should have snatched all three points in injury time when a great Luke Phillips cross from the right saw James Wykes with only the keeper to beat from six yards, but he made no contact with the ball and Bashley survived. So both sides had to settle for a point each.

Footnote:-

The Reserves League programme started with a trip to West Wight and they came back with all three points following a superb 5 – 1 victory. Aiden White 2, Connor Furmidge 2 and Aarun Ince were the scorers.