Saturday September 25th The WESSEX FOOTBALL LEAGUE – Premier Division
HAMBLE CLUB 3 (1) v 1 (1) COWES SPORTS
played at Hamble Community Facility Kick Off – 15:00 Attendance – 56
Referee:- DEREK PRATT Assistants – Richard Lines + Tony Foster
Team:- COWES SPORTS – Jamie LININGTON, Mitchell RICKETTS (89), Dominic SEXTON, Jez CONWAY, Callum CHASE (c), Morgan PERRIN, Aedan COODE, Jimmy MUMFORD, Connor FURMIDGE (58), Ji NASH (79), James WYKES
Subs:- Scott McFARLANE (58), Mark ROBERTSON (79), Callum PYE-POULTER (89) unused – Finley PHILLIPS, Edward HATT g/k
Cowes Sports travelled to Hamble Club for this League fixture having drawn the home game earlier in the season when they ended the game with 9 players. With Alex Smith ill and on the Friday night Manager Max Draper struck down by a positive Lateral Flow test so having to self isolate, Glenn Annett stood in with the help of Fin Phillips and Ed Hatt to run the side.
Isaac Cruise, Darren Williams and Ewan Cranwell were missing from the midweek side against AFC Bournemouth with Ji Nash, Dominic Sexton and Mitchell Ricketts coming in to the starting line up and Mark Robertson and Callum Pye-Poulter occupying the bench with Scott McFarlane. With a change of Management having been made by the hosts since the early season match several new faces were included in the Hamble side.
Hamble Club started brightly as a low Lewis Nagle shot tested Jamie Linington who saved well. It did not take long for the Abbey side to take the lead when SAM WOODWARD waltzed through a couple of defensive challenges before tucking past Jamie Linington in the 7th minute. Cowes tried to respond as Jez Conway headed an Aedan Coode corner wide of goal on 10 minutes before Fillipos Terzidis saw his shot cannon back off a post. Ji Nash then tested the home keeper with a low shot from the edge of the area but Callum Lee dived full stretch to push the ball away for a corner. From the resulting corner Aedan Coode found the head of CONNOR FURMIDGE who planted the ball in the left corner of the home goal to equalise. The Cowes frontman then saw an effort blocked by the feet of Callum Lee before he became provider. His through ball sent James Wykes in on goal but the shot sailed over the crossbar. Ji Nash then failed to hit the target with a header before a long clearance saw the Cowes man with only the keeper to beat though from a tight angle and Callum Lee done well to block the shot away for a corner. Both sides went into the break at one apiece. H-t 1 – 1
Ten minutes into the second half and a quick Cowes break gave Connor Furmidge the chance to score but he lifted his shot just over the bar. On 58 minutes Cowes replaced Connor Furmidge with Scott McFarlane. Still quite an open game as both sides looked for that vital second goal. Morgan Perrin curled an effort over the bar for the Island side. On 67 minutes a cross from the right back area saw SAM WOODWARD have a free header into the right half of Jamie Linington’s goal to restore the home sides lead. The Yachtsmen should have again levelled in the 73rd minute when a weighted pass from Ji Nash sent James Wykes in on goal again, but Callum Lee managed to block the shot and the chance was gone. Another chance for the Islanders when a Mitch Ricketts cross was headed back across goal but no Cowes player was on hand to tap home and the danger was cleared. Sixteen year old Mark Robertson replace Ji Nash and a late change saw Callum Pye-Poulter come on for Mitchell Ricketts as the Yachtsmen searched hard for a second equaliser. How ever in the final minute Cowes were caught short at the back and good work from Marlon Mason and FILIPPOS TERZIDIS ended with the latter rounding Jamie Linington to roll the ball home from close range to seal the three points.
A very disappointing day all round against a side that we really should be looking to beat. Too many poor performances when we need to produce against a team of similar standard. Lets hope that we can up our game as we face a tough away game at Baffins Milton Rovers before winnable games at home to Portland United and away at Christchurch.