Tuesday August 17th The WESSEX League – Premier Division Kick Off 19:30
COWES SPORTS 1 (1) v 1 (1) HAMBLE CLUB
played at Westwood Park Attendance:- 135
Referee:- KRASIMIR PETROV Assistants – Alistair Taylor + Christopher Cass
Team:- COWES SPORTS – Edward HATT, Conor WHITE, Dominic SEXTON, Jez CONWAY, Callum CHASE, Morgan PERRIN, Finley PHILLIPS (c), Jimmy MUMFORD, Ji NASH (70), John McKIE (85), Aedan COODE (66),
Subs:- James WYKES (70), Scott McFARLANE (85), Christopher Elliott (66), Isaac CRUISE + Owen DENNESS not used.
Cowes Sports first home fixture of the 21/22 campaign saw them welcome Hamble Club to Westwood Park for a midweek fixture. Ironically Match Referee for this game, Krasimir Petrov was the last mainland Official to visit the Island back in December against when he was forced to abandon the game against Bashley due to a torrential downpour leaving the pitch under water.
John McKie was welcomed back into the team in place of Mitchell Ricketts, the only change to the starting XI from the previous Saturdays defeat at Brockenhurst.
The visitors had the first shot in anger just four minutes into the game when a poor touch from Morgan Perrin gave Ashton Coodger a chance to shoot but keeper Ed Hatt stood firm to parry the effort away. Ten minutes in and a Fin Phillips chip to John McKie just inside the box saw the latter volley first time wide of the right hand post. Just before the half hour mark another Finley Phillips set piece, this time a corner from the Cowes left, saw Jez Conway rise highest but send his header the wrong side of the right post from the Cowes point of view. On 35 minutes Dom Sexton and Hamble’s Lewis Nagle clashed in the area when chasing the ball and Referee Petrov pointed to the penalty spot before harshly booking the Cowes left back. What happened to double jeopardy?? ASHTON COODGER smashed the ball into the net from 12 yards to give the visitors the lead. Cowes responded well to the setback with John McKie seeing a shot bound for the bottom left corner of the net deflected enough to take it past the post for a corner. A minute before half time Sam Woodward tested home keeper Ed Hatt who saved well. Two minutes into stoppage time Aedan Coode was upended needlessly just to the right of the goal about 22 yards out. Skipper FINLEY PHILLIPS stepped up and superbly struck the free kick left footed into the top left corner of the Hamble goal to bring the Yachtsmen level which they fully deserved. This can be seen on You tube by entering the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdAqRyl8S0k. So a goal apiece at the interval. H-t 1 – 1
It was Cowes that had the first chance of the second half when Aedan Coode shot from distance and Jack Martin in the visitors goal saved despite a slight deflection off a defender. Cowes defence then stood off Ashton Coodger allowing him to shoot wide of goal. A great chance for the home side to take the lead on 56 minutes when a Fin Phillips corner from the Cowes left was headed clear by a defender but Callum Chase closed down the Hamble player, won the ball back before clipping a cross to the back post where Ji Nash had a free header but sent the ball wide of the right hand post. Chris Elliott replaced Aedan Coode(66 min) before Jimmy Wykes came on for Ji Nash (70).Having been yellow carded for conceding the penalty Dom Sexton was given a second yellow followed by red on 72 minutes much to do with the disgraceful reaction from several Hamble players. Callum Chase then picked up a yellow before Jimmy Wykes was shown a straight red card for a supposed two footed challenge, again all bar about one outfield Hamble player surrounded the Referee. Scott McFarlane replaced John McKie as Cowes hung on with nine men to a point they fully deserved.
NOTE:-
Alex Harvey’s Reserve team travelled up Park Road to take on Northwood St Johns in an Island League match and came away with an excellent 6 – 1 victory with Connor Furmidge 4 and a goal apiece for Max Coshell and 17 year old Thomas Ashley to follow up on their 4 – 4 draw the previous Saturday at Westwood against Brading Town.