LATE STRIKE FROM FURMIDGE SEALS POINTS FOT SECOND STRING YACHTSMEN

HARWOODS ISLE OF OF WIGHT SATURDAY LEAGUE Division 1     Saturday December 5th 2020

COWES SPORTS RESERVES  2  v  1  RYDE SAINTS

played at Westwood Park               Kick Off 14:00                         Attendance – 58

Referee – John Hopkinson

With the Island League Committee deciding that it’s fixtures should re-start as soon as possible after the second lockdown had finished, giving players just one training session before resuming matches, Cowes Sports Reserves entertained Ryde Saints at Westwood Park.

Manager, Mark Randall, had a full squad to choose from other than the missing Aidan Bryan, meaning that Gareth Bricknell, Dominic Sexton and Jamie White had recovered from their injuries, whilst 17 year old Adam Voller and new signing Josh Richardson were added to the squad.

Team:-

Fraser Law, Max Coshell, Dominic Sext0n, Ashley Brett, Mitchell Ricketts, Jason Ince, Daniel Pearson, Ben Snow, Connor Furmidge, Gareth Bricknell, George Holmes,         Subs; Adam Voller, Josh Richardson, Jamie White

It was the Yachtsmen whio started the game on the front foot with Gareth Bricknell sending a n effort over the bar before he turned provider setting up George Holmes, but his shot was well blocked by Ben Orton in the Ryde Saints goal at the expense of a corner. Dan OPearson then saw his shot drift just wide of target before the same player sent a free kick to the near post which their keeper eventually gathered. Having had the majority of the play for the first 20 minutes, the home side were hit by a sucker puch. A ball played out to their left found Cian McGee with plenty of space to run at and past right back Max Coshell who pulled him back to concede a penalty. CONOR LYON stepped up to beat Fraser Law in the Cowes goal and give Ryde Saints an unexpected lead. Ben Snow responded for the home side but sent his shot past the left hand post. Young Adam Voller replaced Conor Furmidge with George Holmes moving inside to center forward, he blazed a good effort well over the bar. ‘Saints skipper then saw his shot blocked by Fraser Law with a diving save before on the stroke of half time the equaliser from the home side, a ball into Adam Voller on the edge of the Ryde Saints area was neatly laid off to skipper GARETH BRICKNELL who buried his shot into the bottom left corner of Ben Orton’s goal, it was no more the the Yachtsmen’s second string deserved. So the teams went in at the break level at one apiece.

H-t 1 – 1 

New signing Josh Richardson repolaced Jason Ince at the start of the second half and bothe he an Ben Snow had half chances but failed to score. Dominic Sexton tried his luck from distance which Ben Orton fumbled but no Cowes player was following in. Conor Furmidge then came back on in place of George Holmes(roll on roll off subs allowed in Island League). Ben Snow watched his free kick fly straight at Ben Orton in the Saints goal before Jamie White came on for Dominic Sexton. Fraser Law was then called upon to make two excellebnt saves from sub Tom Donett and Conor Lyon. A couple of tight muscles then forced Dan Pearson and Ben Snow off with Jason Ince and George Holmes coming back on. Conor Furmidge saw his effort saved low down by Ben Orton before Kyle Kilroy fired over the bar for Ryde Saints. Penalty appeals from Cowes when Conor Furmidge looked to have been fouled in the box were waved away by Referee John Hopkinson before the smae player blazed over the bar. Gareth Bricknell thaen had a free kick tipped over the bar as the game looked to be heading for a frustrating draw from the Cowes point of view. Until in the 88th minute, a Josh Richardson cross saw George Holmes’ effort cleared to the edge of the area where CONNOR FURMIDGE blasted the ball into the net giving their keeper no chance of saving and claiming all three points for the home side. Cowes Reserves moved up to sixth in the table and now face a home game against Northwood St Johns on December 12th.