Tuesday November 12th BRSA HAMPSHIRE SENIOR CUP 2nd Round
COWES SPORTS 2(1) PETERSFIELD TOWN 4(3)
played at Westwood Park
Referee:- CALUM McFARLANE Assistants; Andrew Jones + Chris Cass
COWES MISS OUT ON TRIP TO EASTLEIGH IN SENIOR CUP
The Yachtsmen finally welcomed Wessex One side Petersfield Town to Westwood Park for this much delayed Hampshire Senior Cup second round tie.
Three changes to the Cowes line up saw Darren Williams, Scott McFarlane and Ben Snow come into the starting XI in place of Gareth Bricknell( injured – fractured cheekbone), Ewan Cranwell(Uni) and Joe White(on bench).
Team:-
Edward Hatt (c), Conor White, Dominic Sexton, Morgan Perrin, Ashley Brett, Aidan Bryan, Scott McFarlane, Ben Snow, Michael McEnery, Darren Williams, James Wykes Subs; Ji Nash, Jez Conway, Aiden White, Jacob Jarvis, Joe White
The first ten minutes were very cagey as both sides tried to see how the other was set up. Cowes created the first chance but Ben Snow shot flew well over the Petersfield crossbar. Conor White then sent in a cross from the right that saw Michael McEnery’s header easily saved by Matt Petts in the visitors goal. Disaster then struck for the home side as Morgan Perrin lost possession of the ball on the edge of his own box gifting the visitors with a chance too take the lead which was duly converted by HARRY BEDFORD from close range. This woke the Yachtsmen up and they responded in the 19th minute by equalising when Darren Williams clipped the ball over a defender to Michael McEnery wide on the right who in turn sent in a cross towards the near post where JAMES WYKES diverted the ball past Matt Petts into the right corner of the goal. On the half hour Petersfield’s Ryan Kennedy scythed down young Ben Snow and was possibly lucky to only receive a yellow card. Five minutes before the break Michael McEnery had an effort blocked before a lengthy stop in play as two Petersfield players needed treatment, Sean Burton was attended to by his own Physio whilst Matt Low got treatment from Callum Capon, Cowes’ Physio. Both players were unable to carry on and were replaced by sixteen year old Olly Purser and Jordan Neal. The delay worked in the visitors favour as Cowes concentration lapsed in the eight minutes of injury time. In the 50 minute of the half the visitors were awarded a free kick five or so yards outside the left edge of the Cowes area. HARRY BEDFORD stepped up to bend the ball around the wall into the top left corner of the Cowes goal to restore their lead, worse was to follow for the home side as two minutes later MARVIN ORPEO added a third goal leaving Cowes with a mountain too climb.
If Cowes were going to get anything from this tie an early goal in the second half was needed, and they got that goal just three minutes in when a JAMES WYKES inswinging corner from the Cowes left caught the visitors keeper by surprise as the ball found its way into the net to give the home side hope. Despite Cowes’ best efforts little was created in the final third for the next twenty minutes until, in the 72nd minute Ben Snow gave the ball to Darren Williams who in turn sent James Wykes through on goal with the chance to complete his hat trick, but the visiting keeper done well to block at the expense of a corner. Two minutes later James Wykes turned supplier as he gave substitute Ji Nash the chance to level, but again Matt Petts was quick off his line to save and keep his side ahead. These misses proved costly for the home side as in the 77th minute JORDAN NEAL Hit a great shot from the edge of the Cowes box past the despairing dive of Ed Hatt into the left corner of the net to clinch the tie and a daunting trip to National League side Eastleigh in the next round leaving the Yachtsmen to fight another relegation battle as once again missed chances cost the Island side dear.
