Saturday December 14th – SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE (WESSEX) Premier Division
BASHLEY 3(2) COWES SPORTS 0(0)
played at Bashley Recreation Ground Attendance – 143
Referee:- ALEX RUSH-FEAR Assistants; Peter Carr + Chris Porter
POSITIVES FOR YACHTSMEN BUT ANOTHER DEFEAT
Cowes Sports travelled to the New Forest to take on Bashley whom they had drawn 1 – 1 earlier in the season at Westwood Park.
Once again several players were unavailable, Gareth Bricknell(jaw), Ashley Brett(back) and Ben Snow(groin) were injured. Tom Dye(wedding) and James Wykes(suspension) also unavailable. So Michael McEnery, George Carter-Knight, Finley Phillips, Mitch Ricketts and Ewan Cranwell all came into the starting line up whilst Ji Nash dropped to the bench where he was joined by Ben Holdsworth and new signing Jared Wetherick who has just returned from a spell coaching in America.
Team:-
Fraser Law, Conor White, Aiden White, Mitchell Ricketts, Aidan Bryan (c), Morgan Perrin, Ewan Cranwell, Finley Phillips, Michael McEnery, Scott McFarlane, George Carter-Knight
Subs:- Ben Holdsworth, Ji Nash, Jared Wetherick, Max Draper
A cagey start from both sides. It took until the 9th minute for anyone to create a goal scoring chance when Cameron Beard shot wide of the Cowes goal. A minute later 16 year old Cowes keeper saved a low shot from Connor Whiteley. Bashley were beginning dominate, Harry McGrath glanced a header wide of goal before the inevitable, a Bashley goal. A pin point crossfield ball over the head of Cowes right back Conor White found HARRY MCGRATH who easily cut back inside and from the edge of the area fired home the opening goal. The same player then saw his deflected effort well saved by Fraser Law. In the 25th minute a superb defensive tackle inside the Cowes area by skipper Aidan Bryan, taking the ball from the Bashley forward who, due to his momentum went to ground. Amazingly to ALL in the ground Match Referee Alex Rush-Fear blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. No body from the home side appealed, not even the crowd, but penalty it was and CONNOR WHITELEY stepped up to net a second goal for the New Forest side and effectively killed the game. A truly diabolical decision that even the Referee Assessor apparently did not agree with, lets hope he made his feeling known and marked him down!!!! Cowes tried their best to respond before the break, a ball into the Bashley area was well controlled by Fin Phillips but his shot was blocked by the home keepers feet. Just before the break Scott McFarlane had a shot from distance which home keeper Dan Kempson gathered at second attempt to keep his side two up at half time.
Cowes came out for the second half determined to make a impact in the game. Fin Phillips and Michael McEnery combined well to set up Conor White whose effort was parried away for a corner by the home stopper. In the 64th minute a ball through the middle found HARRY MCGRATH who netted a third for the home side and secure the points. Cowes never gave up and George Carter-Knight saw his 30 yard free kick held under the crossbar by Dan Kempson. Ewan Cranwell then fed Michael McEnery whose shot was knocked over the bar by the right foot of Dan Kempson for a corner. Ben Holdsworth and Ji Nash came on for George Carter-Knight and Conor White respectively. Ji Nash should have scored on 70 minutes when Michael McEnery fed the ball to him, a right foot shot was on with half the goal to aim ay, but the Cowes sub cut back onto his left foot and sent a left foot shot well wide of the goal. Jared Wetherick replaced Michael McEnery for the final twenty minutes and early brought the Island side back into the game with a shot that had the home keeper scrambling across his goal to push the ball away for a corner before the final action should have seen home forward Harry McGrath complete his hat trick but having beaten his marker sent his shot wide of the left post for a goal kick.
Once again the Match Official has a big say in the result, a few weeks back we get given a penalty that, after consulting his Assistant the Ref over turns then this week a penalty is given against us for a perfectly good ball winning tackle and the Ref does not consult his Assistant.