PRE – SEASON FRIENDLY at Westwood Park KO 18:10
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6th 2017
COWES SPORTS U18 1 v 4 NORTHWOOD ST JOHNS RESERVES
Referee:- ANDREW DONCASTER
Originally billed as an U18 friendly a few older players had to be drafted in to get a side to play against Jamie Brenchley’s Northwood St Johns Reserves, a team containing several former Cowes players including James Butt, Nicky Vyse, Jake Winchcombe,Ruben and Roland Bryan and Jordan Whittle.
A bright start from both sets of players, the visitors having the first chance when Joel Mather met a Jordan Whittle corner but sent his header wide of the goal. A shot from distance saw Cowes keeper Sam Sanders parry away to safety, before Jordon Stacey tested Dean Attrill in the Northwood goal. Cowes skipper James Wright then sent a free kick into their box, Keeper Attrill came out and punched straight up into the air which fell to Lewis Blackmore who saw his header cleared off the goal line by Jordan Whittle. In the 34th minute a free kick was given to Cowes, ‘Woods Jordan Whittle mad a comment towards the Referee who intended to book him, but the player kept “talking” which ended with him being shown a red card. Shortly after Cowes’ Tom Riordan was shown a yellow for handball. The Yachtsmen’s Dan Pearson then fired a volley against the Northwood crossbar before Lewis Blackmore screwed his shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post. In injury time the visitors hit the Cowes crossbar and Neo Lamb cleared the ball off the line as the game remained goalless at the break.
H-t 0 – 0
St Johns sub Nicky Vyse had the first shot of the second half but Sam Sanders palmed the ball away before he was again in action to tip a Dan Silk effort over the bar. From the resulting corner Northwood skipper JOEL MATHER headed the visitors in front at the back post. The home side responded well and were soon level when ARRUN INCE beat the offside trap rounded the keeper before rolling the ball into an empty net. A good end to end game looked to have more goals in it and they came as Cowes failed to clear the ball in the 68th minute leaving Northwood’s number 12 to fire past Sam Sanders. The same player added a third goal ten minutes from time before Cowes’ Dan Pearson struck the Northwood post from 20 yards. The final kick of the match saw NICKY VYSE fire home from a tight angle to complete the scoring.
The young Yachtsmen played some good football and were not scared to have a shot at goal from distance, the future looks very bright for Cowes Sports when these lads gain a bit more experience. This game was a joy to watch both teams playing well.
COWES SPORTS RESERVES – Sam Sanders, Thomas Riordan, Kieran Sibbick, Jordon Stacey, Neo Lamb, Bradley Foster, Harry Sprengel, Max Coshell, Daniel Pearson, Lewis Blackmore, James Wright, Subs:- Callum Taylor, Will Harris, Tyler Greenslade, Arrun Ince