Saturday January 18th HARWOODS Island League Division 1
SHANKLIN 2(0) COWES SPORTS RESERVES 0(0)
played at The County Ground Referee:- Alistair Taylor
Third v Second as Shanklin hosted Cowes Sports Reserves at the County Ground.
Manager Stephen Mumford had Joe White, George Carter-Knight and Ji Nash from the 1st XI squad whilst Connor Furmidge returned. Ben Snow also returned from injury and would play the second half.
Team:-
Fraser Law, Luke Phillips, Aiden White, Jason Ince, Joseph White, Max Coshell (c), Aedan Coode, Scott McFarlane, Connor Furmidge, Ji Nash, George Carter-Knight
Subs: Aarun Ince, Ben Snow, Jamie Barratt
The pitch looked to be in great condition considering the amount of rain throughout the previous week, although under foot was very squishy and would prove difficult to play a nice passing game. As expected the home side saw most of the ball early on and had a couple of half chances that did not threaten Fraser Laws goal. Referee Ali Taylor booked Cowes’ Scott McFarlane in the 13th minute for a tackle on Wayne Newnham who had sworn at him shortly before. Apparently that is aloud as it happened again later in the game and no action was taken again. Cowes started to have more say in the game but did not really threaten the home goal until the 37th minute when Scott McFarlane burst through the home defence to the left of the goal, but his powerful shot cannoned off the outside of the right hand post. On the stroke of half time Aedan Coode had a shot from the edge of the box but it was straight at the home keeper as the first half remained goal less.
Ben Snow and Aarun Ince were brought on at the start of the second half for Aedan Coode and Jason Ince. A quiet first 15 minutes was ended when Wayne Newnham having cleared a ball inside his own box went through Ben Snow with some force, having already been booked no action was taken by the Referee and the Shanklin player stayed on the pitch. Shortly after the home side nearly scored after a goalmouth scramble, but somehow the ball was cleared for a corner. A Cowes attack ended in the 64th minute with George Carter-Knight sending a left foot shot crashing against the top of the Shanklin crossbar, the closest the Cowes side would come to scoring in the second half. With 18 minutes left to play the home side broke the deadlock when their number 10 fired home from 12 yards. Connor Furmidge and Ji Nash were taken off as Jamie Barratt and Aedan Coode replaced them. The points were secured in the final minutes when a cross from the right was deflected past Fraser Law for a second goal for Shanklin as they moved back above the visitors in the table.