Tuesday August 3rd The WESSEX League – Premier Division Kick Off 19:30
MONEYFIELDS 4 (2) v 0 (0) COWES SPORTS
played at Moneyfields Sports & Social Club Attendance:- 125
Referee:- MICHAEL HURDLE Assistants – Paul Hicks + Michael Bradley
Team:- COWES SPORTS – Edward HATT, Conor WHITE, James WYKES, Callum PYE-POULTER, Isaac CRUISE, Ewan CRANWELL, Finley PHILLIPS, Jimmy MUMFORD, Ji NASH, Aedan COODE, John McKIE (c)
Subs:- Dominic SEXTON, Jake WATSON, Scott McFARLANE, Joe WINCHCOMBE g/k
The Yachtsmen, fresh from their success at Amesbury Town three days earlier crossed the Solent to Portsmouth and the home of Moneyfields who had dropped down a league at their request to return to the Wessex League for the 21/22 season. A tough fixture for Cowes was expected and that was the way it turned out.
Manager Max Draper numerous changes from the victorious side a few days earlier with Ed Hatt returning in goal following suspension, Ewan Cranwell back for his first game in 9 months following injury as well as Aedan Coode and John McKie coming into the starting line up. Dom Sexton dropped to the bench and was joined by Scott McFarlane, Jake Watson and sub keeper Joe Winchcombe.
Just two minutes into the game and a Finley Phillips free kick from the right bye line was swung into the far post where Aedan Coode headed back into the danger area but the home defence managed to clear the danger. For the next half an hour the play was pretty much condensed into the Cowes half as Moneyfields took control. Home midfielder Jordan Pile sent a shot inches wide of the left post before James Franklyn nearly made the visitors pay from a poor goal kick but his shot was deflected wide of goal for a corner. Elliott Turnbull then saw his thunderous effort crash off the top of the crossbar before Isaac Cruise kept the Yachtsmen level with a superb goal-line clearance. James Wykes relieved a little bit of the pressure in the 30th minute with a great run down the left but his cross into the box was plucked out of the air by home keeper Tom Price. The Pompey sides pressure finally paid off in the 33rd minute when , with Cowes defenders appealing for a foul on Ewan Cranwell, DECLAN SIEDEN fired in from the edge of the box although keeper Ed Hatt got a hand to the shot , he could not prevent the ball nestling in the bottom right corner of the net. Prolific score and Moneyfields skipper, Steve Hutchings was forced off the field three minutes before the break with an ankle injury and was replaced by FREDRICK PENFOLD who had an instant impact on the game when he added a second goal for the home side with a low shot into the left corner of the Cowes goal. So the Yachtsmen went into the break two goals down and maybe were a little lucky it was only two. H-t 2 – 0
In fairness to the Island side they came out for the second period determined to cause the home side more problems and this they did. In the 51st minute Ji Nash saw his effort deflect off two defenders who were relieved to see the ball go for a corner rather than nestle in the goal. Aedan Coode then tried his luck from distance which saw the home keeper fumble the ball but keep it out of the goal. The killer blow for the Yachtsmen came in the 66th minute when a quick break out of defence saw the ball threaded through for full back ROBERT EVANS to run onto before thumping it past Ed Hatt. Scott McFarlane replaced Aedan Coode and his through ball to skipper John McKie whose strike at goal hit the outside of the left post. With 15 minutes left Max Draper sent on Jake Watson for his debut and Dominic Sexton with Ewan Cranwell and Isaac Cruise coming off. Another Jimmy Wykes cross was nearly turned into his own goal by Tom Craine. Five minutes from time former US Pompey star JAMES FRANKLYN topped a Man of the Match performance when he netted a fourth goal for Moneyfields before Fin Phillips fired into the side netting after a great run and Scott McFarlane saw his shot go wide of goal.
A comfortable looking victory for Moneyfields on their return to the League but credit to the Yachtsmen who never gave up and hopefully will learn a lot from this game.