VIEW FROM THE BAR – v BASHLEY December 19th 2020

The View from the Bar 

 I have to admit to being partly at fault for our defeat to Lymington a couple of weeks back. With Cowes battling away in what had been a pretty even game – including a hatful of chances for us in the first half – the clock ticked past eighty minutes with the score at nil-nil and a very creditable point on the cards. Whereupon, I turned to Pete Jeffery and opined that “Lymington look like the kind of side that will only need one chance and they’ll take it…” Barely had I finished saying it when a chink opened in our defence and sure enough the ball was in the back of the net. Ho hum. As if that wasn’t bad enough, if I (and Lymington) had waited just another minute I’d at least have won the Golden Goal. Harrumph. Still, it was a very good performance against a side who’ll surely be up there challenging for the title come the end of the season (if we make it that far…)

The Linnets did look like a side who’ve got a defeat coming though, and fair play to our visitors today Bashley, who last Saturday ended Lymington’s ten game winning streak in some style, with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at The Sports Ground. With any luck today will be a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ for them. Well, we can hope…

Some Wessex Grounds I must’ve been to fifteen or twenty times (Brockenhurst definitely falls into that category), but for one reason or another I’ve still only ever made it to Bashley the once, and that was back in 1990 when they were still a Southern League side. It was a cold but crisp winters night when a healthy contingent of Cowes fans travelled to the New Forest, more in hope than expectation, for our Hampshire Senior Cup match at The Recreation Ground (apparently gkown as the Glen Mex stadium these days). We were doing okay as I recall, until Leroy Whale started out on a mazy run towards goal “Come on Cowes, he’s not Pele is he?” shouted Justin, just as Whale entered our area and shortly before slotting the ball past Malc Cole for the opening goal. I can’t really comment on handing out the kiss of death though, can I? Mind you, at least we didn’t go on to concede a further seven goals against Lymington as we did at Bashley that night. Still a good night out though.

A bit disappointing that we couldn’t hang on to our lead at Shaftesbury last week as that would have been a very welcome win, but as it was a Freak goal (yes, capital F – it was scored by Joe Freak) meant we had to settle for a draw. Still a useful point from one of our longest away trips of the season, though, and it was pleasing not to get beaten at in-form Fareham Town on Tuesday night, too (albeit that might have been helped somewhat that the game at cams Alders was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch).

So, here’s wishing you all a very Merry Christmas – it’s been a strange year for sure, but hopefully you’ll all be able to spend a bit of time with your nearest and dearest over the next few days, and if you need to blow out the cobwebs after a bit of seasonal over-indulgence, what better way than coming up here on December 29th for our match with Horndean? I hope to see you all here.

Merry Christmas everyone, and enjoy the game.

      Toby