Sunday September 5th HAMPSHIRE COMBINATION & DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE U18
HORNDEAN U18 6 (4) v 2 (0) COWES SPORTS U18
played at Five Heads Park Kick Off 2:45pm
Team:- COWES SPORTS – Ed HUMPHRIES, Teddy MUMFORD, Jamie TROWBRIDGE, Cory SANDERSON (c), Rowenn CHURCHILL, Szymon SADEL, Haydn PARKER, Mark ROBERTSON, Kyle KILROY, Finley KALAKAR, Daniel JOHNSON
Subs:- William FOULSHAM, Harry SYMES, Max HARPER
Newly formed Cowes Sports U18 Development squad travelled to Five Heads Park for their first League game of the new season. Cowes should have been in buoyant mood following their midweek success in the FA Youth Cup despite three changes.
Manager Jacob Toms was forced to make three changes to the mid week starting XI with Owen Denness, Thomas Ashley and Finley Lloyd unavailable in came Ed Humphries, Szymon Sadel from the bench and Haydn Parker to start with Harry Symes joining Will Foulsham and Max Harper on the sidelines for this game. Due to the Southampton Half Marathon and Boat Show preparations and horrendous traffic chaos in and around Southampton it took far longer to get to Horndean than anticipated therefore, after a few phone calls, the game was put back to a 2:45 kick off. With the players having to get changed on the minibus at least they were kitted up and ready to go after a short warm up upon arrival.
With no Match Official available someone from Horndean stepped in to do the job. Cowes were immediately put under pressure from the start with Ed Humphries having to be alert to push a shot away for a corner in the 2nd minute. Cory Sanderson sent a 7th minute free kick over the crossbar. Ed Humphries once again denied Horndean the opening goal on 11 minutes saving well with his feet. In the 14th minute the inevitable happened as Cowes’ youngsters fell behind when their number 16 broke on the Cowes left, though a suspicion of offside but the flag stayed down, before tucking the ball past the Cowes stopper. Heads began to fall as the home side doubled their lead on 22 minutes when their impressive number 9 scored from close range. Two soon became three as the same plyer sent a free kick over Ed Humphries into the net four minutes later. By now the young Yachtsmen were struggling and with the “roll on roll off ” system in this league changes were made to try and liven things up. Finally Cowes managed top conjure up a couple of shots at goal, both from Kyle Kilroy. His first effort in the 30th minute fizzed wide whilst five minutes later the home keeper saved at the second attempt. Five minutes before the break, after losing the ball just outside the right corner of the area substitute Will Foulsham pulled the Horndean player down inside the box. Their number 10, who was running the show, stepped up but saw his spot kick cannon off the crossbar and the rebound was somehow headed wide of goal. A let off for the young Yachtsmen, but only for a short time as a fourth goal was added in stoppage time when a cross from the right appeared to be gathered by Ed Humphries but under challenge from a forward the ball fell loose and was slammed into the net as the Cowes protests were ignored. H-t 4 – 0
Following a half time roasting the Islanders came out for the second half showing more determination and substitute Max Harper headed a Teddy Mumford cross at the keeper in the 48th minute. Five minutes later and a lifeline for Cowes when the same combination saw MAX HARPER volley the ball into the net from eight yards. However the early promise shown in the second half disappeared as their 10 first hit the post before in the 63rd minute took full advantage of a defensive error to score the home sides fifth goal. Ten minutes from time Cowes allowed their 15 to run through from inside his own half before tucking the ball past the helpless Ed Humphries for number 6. In the final minute Cowes were awarded a free kick 25 yards out slightly to the right of goal which JAMIE TROWBRIDGE powered into the home goal to make the final score 6 – 2.
All in all a bad day at the Office for the young Yachtsmen, lets hope they can turn things around next week when they face Moneyfields at home before they take on Winchester City at Westwood Park in the FA Youth Cup on September 14th.