SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE(WESSEX) – Premier Division Tuesday September 8th 2020
COWES SPORTS 0 v 1 BLACKFIELD & LANGLEY played at Westwood Park kick off – 19:30 Attendance – 152
Referee:- Jordan McRitchie Assistants – Keyson Colebrook + Andrew Jones
Th first home league game of the new campaign saw the Yachtsmen play host to Blackfield & Langley who had taken voluntary relegation of two divisions after their main backer had moved to AFC Totton along with former Cowes player Glenn Howes(Manager) and several players. Manager Max Draper made just one change to the side that had lost narrowly ar Brockenhurst, with Aidan Bryan replacing Ewan Cranwell who dropped to the bench.
Team:- Edward Hatt, Conor White, Scott McFarlane, Lewis Wright, Callum Chase, Aidan Bryan(22), John McKie (c)(56), Finley Phillips, Jared Wetherick(60), Alex Wright, James Wykes,
Used Subs:- Ewan Cranwell(22), Aarun Ince(56), Jez Conway(60), Unused, Ben Snow, Fraser Law g/k
It was the visitors that made their intent clear as they pressed the home side back from kick off but it was the Yachtsmen that had the first chance of the game on 2 minutes when John McKie broke away, cut inside before his low shot saw Stephen Hodder save low down to his right. Callum Chase then committed an unnecessary foul near the half way line that saw him receive a yellow card. A great passage of play from the home side on 10 minutes had Scott mcFarlane playing a one two with John McKie just outside the right edge of the Blackfield area before the former powered a shot towards goal that had Stephen Hodder scrambling to parry away for a corner. The visitors first opportunity came on 14 minutes when a poor back pass was siezed upon by Player Manager Fawzi Saadi who neatly clipped the ball over the advancing Cowes stopper Ed Hatt, but Aidan Bryan was on hand to get back to clear the ball before it entered the goal. Luke Bennett then tested Ed Hatt with a powerful shot that the Cowes keeper pushed away for a corner before a set back for the Yachtsmen as Aidan Bryan was forced off with an injury in the 22nd minute, Ewan Cranwell coming on in place.Half an hour in and another John Mckie effort flew over the crossbar, then on 39 a deep corner from the Cowes right was headed back across goal by Callun Chase but Jared Wetherick sent his header wide of goal. Minutes before the break John McKie became the second Yachtsman to be yellow carded for a tackle as the first period remained goalless.
H-t 0 – 0
The one moment of magic came on 55 minutes when a loose ball in the Cowes box was pounced upon by FAWZI SAADI who fired past Ed Hatt into the goal for what proved to be the only goal of the game. Immediately John McKie(hamstring injury) was replaced by youngster Aarun Ince before Jez Conway came on for Jared Wetherick as Cowes looked to freshenthings up in search of an equaliser. James Wykes fired straight at their keeper in the 70th minute before, at the other end, Lewis Wright flung himself in front of a goalbound shot from Blackfield sub River Smith at the expense of a corner. Cowes tried their best to unnerve their opponents but were unabkle to find that elusive equaliser as they slipped to anothe one goal defeat, but it has to be said that once again there were plenty of positives to come out of the game for the home side. They just need that little bit of luck in front of goal to be able to kick start their league campaign.
