PRE – SEASON Friendly Saturday July 28th
COWES SPORTS RESERVES 1 – 1 AFC STONEHAM RESERVES
Cowes Sports Reserves earned a creditable draw against a good young Stoneham sideas substitute OWEN WOODBURN netted towards the latter stages of the second half having fallen behind early in the first from a corner.
COWES SPORTS 5 – 0 AFC STONEHAM
Cowes Sports 1st XI ran out comfortable winners in their latest pre-season game against Hampshire Premier side AFC Stoneham.
Both teams were intent on playing the ball on the deck throughout the game which was good to watch. The Yachtsmen finally broke the deadlock five minutes before the interval when DARREN WILLIAMS was tripped by the visiting keeper as he tried to round him, he got up to send the keeper the wrong way from the resulting spot kick as Cowes went in a t half time a goal to the good.
The Islanders stepped up a gear at the start of the second half and doubled their lead when DARREN WILLIAMS pounced on a defensive mistake, the left back playing a square ball straight to him, before rounding the keeper and slotting the ball into the empty net on 52 mins. Just three minutes later skipper GARETH BRICKNELL was played in on goal before tucking the ball past the keeper and into the right corner of the Stoneham net for number three.
Fifteen minutes from time Aidan Bryan beat the visitors offside trap to break down the Cowes right, he squared the ball to GARETH BRICKNELL who beat the keeper with ease for a fourth Cowes goal.
A fifth goal was added 5 minutes from the end when Jason Ince won the ball in midfield, split the visiting defence with a superb ball which GARETH BRICKNELL ran onto, beating the keeper and rolling the ball into the empty goal to complete his hat trick and the scoring.
Unfortunately the game was marred in the final minute when Stoneham’s number 4, having already been booked, took out Gareth Bricknell on the touchline in front of the stand, resulting in a second yellow followed by a red card. The visiting skipper then reacted with a verbal volley towards the Referee which earned him a straight red. Having finally left the pitch he continued his use of foul language towards the Officials. Not the way you would expect a skipper to act.
TEAM:-
S. East, M. Draper, L. Davies, A. Bryan, D. Cowburn, C. Insley***, T. Dye, J. Appell, G. Bricknell (capt), D. Williams**, N. Lewis*, Subs; J. Ince*, J. Dyer**, H. Dye***
