Saturday February 8th SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE (WESSEX) Premier Division
FAREHAM TOWN 3(0) COWES SPORTS 2(1)
played at Cams Alders Attendance – 88
Referee:- ROBERT LINTER Assistants: Gary Cash + Kevin Robinson
LATE WINNER FO FAREHAM AS COWES ROBBED BY OFFICIALS
Another away trip for the Islanders as they crossed the Solent to take on Fareham Town at Cams Alders just eleven days after the hosts had triumphed 4 – 1 at Westwood Park.
Morgan Perrin and Ewan Cranwell returned to the starting line up with Aaron Burford(suspended) and Aedan Coode(bench) dropping out.
Team:-
Edward Hatt, Mitchell Ricketts, James Wykes, Ashley Brett (c), Morgan Perrin, Ewan Cranwell, Finley Phillips, Gareth Bricknell, Jared Wetherick, Ji Nash, Michael McEnery
Subs:- Aedan Coode, Tom Dye, Conor White, Aidan Bryan
Could not have been a worse start for the Islanders as within two minutes Michael McEnery was forced off with a ankle injury, Conor White replacing him. Five minutes in and a cross into the Fareham box appeared to be hit the arm of a defender before dropping back to the keeper but the visitors penalty appeals were ignored by the referee and play continued. Joy for the islanders though on eight minutes when a ball into JARED WETHERICK on the edge of the home box saw him control, turn his marker before firing into the left corner of the net to give Cowes the early lead. Fareham responded in the 18th minute when Ewan Cranwell lost possession in midfield and Luke Slade was through on goal, but Cowes stopper, Ed Hatt blocked superbly at the expense of a corner. A 25th minute clearance from Ed Hatt dropped for Gareth Bricknell mid way in the Fareham half, he fed Conor White who somehow managed to send the ball wide of the near post when he should have added Cowes’ second. Skipper Ashley Brett then done well to block a Fareham shot on the goal line before Luke Slade hit the side netting for the home side. Gary Moody then sent a header crashing off the top of the Cowes crossbar, the closest they came to scoring in the first half. Minutes before the break James Wykes was yellow carded for a lunging tackle near the touchline as Cowes led at the break.
As expected the home side came out for the second half with the words from their Management team still ringing in their ears. In the 57th minute a clumsy challenge by Gareth Bricknell gifted the home side a penalty which TOM SETTLE dispatched into the right corner of Ed Hatt’s goal, though the Cowes stopper nearly kept out. In the 65th minute Mitch Ricketts lost the ball wide on the right, Fareham’s forward made his way into the box before the Cowes youngster tripped him and a second penalty was awarded which was again dispatched into the right corner of the goal to give the home side the lead. Aedan Coode replaced Mitchell Ricketts with Conor White dropping back to right back. The Yachtsmen were back on level terms on 74 minutes when Aedan Coode cross from the right found JI NASH who equalised from 5yards. Seven minutes from time a Fin Phillips shot from outside the box was only parried by the home keeper, Ji Nash and Aedan Coode followed in, Aedan kicked Ji before tapping the ball into the net, Referee and Assistant gave the goal, then home keeper and Manager started to complain, Referee went over to Assistant, spoke to him before awarding a free kick to the home side. Apparently the Assistant said their may have been an offside but he was not sure??? Fareham piled on the pressure forcing a succession of corners, from one Ashley Brett headed inches over his own bar before in the 98th minute a corner from the Cowes left was headed down from the edge of the box and JACK BREED hooked the ball into the net for the winner which was heart breaking for the Yachtsmen who certainly felt they had been robbed of points.
After the final whistle the Officials were asked why the goal had been disallowed and they could not come up with an answer saying only ” you are crap anyway”!!! And we are expected to Respect these people!!!