Egham Town 0 v Cowes Sports 1

The Yachtsmen made the long trip to Surrey in confident mood looking to add their hosts, Egham Town, to the growing list of Vase victims in this season’s competition. However they knew that it would be a difficult task to come away with a victory as Egham were currently top of The Combined Counties Football League Premier Division, having won 12 and drawn 1 of their previous 13 game, scoring 49 and conceding 17.

Craig Insley returned to centre midfield in place of cup-tied Josh Appell, the only change made from the previous match, the ‘Sarnies’ being at full strength.

The Surrey side started well but found the Yachtsmen’s defence hard to break down and as expected chances came, the best of which fell to centre half Aarron Taylor-Ives who headed over the bar.

Cowes managed to carve out a good opportunity for themselves, but after Dom Burbidge sped down the right wing, Tom Dye’s cross was headed past the post from six yards out by Jimmy Wykes and and the first half ended goalless.

Five minutes into the second half left back Lee Davies was replaced by Mitch Herbert as Egham pressed hard. They thought they had the lead when Captain Marcus Moody converted a cross from the right, but an offside flag had been raised before the cross had been delivered. With some strong, but fair tackles being put in by both sides Referee Kevin Norris from Kidlington was controlling the game very well and when, in the sixty-fifth minute, he awarded Cowes a free-kick, mid-way in the home half and only a few yards in from the touchline. Skipper Gareth BRICKNELL floated the ball into the Egham area towards the back post and though it should have been dealt with by Paul Borg in the home goal, the ball ended up in the back of the ‘Sarnies’ net for what proved to be the only goal of a very tight game.

From that point onwards Cowes soaked up a lot of pressure but keeper Chris Norris had very little to save as the back four in front of him were outstanding in dealing with everything that was thrown at them. In particular, Aidan Bryan was at his very best, breaking down the home side’s attacks on numerous occasions.

On the break, Jimmy Wykes could have had a second but shot just wide after cutting in from the right wing and the closest Egham came to an equaliser was in the final few minutes when substitute Brendan Matthews headed over from inside the six yard box as Cowes held on to progress into the 3rd Round on December 3rd, amid much celebration from the large contingent of travelling fans, who had out-shouted the home supporters throughout the match.

Cowes Sports: C. Norris, M. Draper, L. Davies, A. Brett, A. Bryan, T. Dye, C. Insley, J. Wykes, G. Bricknell, D. Williams, D. Burbidge.

Substitutes: M. Herbert, K. Foster, M. Jones, D. Thurman

Amesbury Town 2 Cowes Sports 1

Cowes dominated the first half at Amesbury on Saturday, but with only a single goal to show for their efforts, they fell away after the break to surrender the points.
Lee Davies, Dom Burbidge and Craig Insley all had early chances as the home side struggled to keep the visitors out and their desperation showed when Mikey Jones was clattered in midfield, though the perpetrator escaped punishment.
Amesbury held out until the twentieth minute, when Lee Davies’ free-kick was headed home by Ashley Brett to give Cowes a deserved lead.
Dom Burbidge then went round the keeper, but his goal-bound shot was cleared off the line by a defender and Darren Williams almost netted, but could only find the side-netting at the far post.
On eighty-two minutes the referee threw Amesbury a life-line when Max Draper was harshly judged to have impeded an opposing striker as he leapt to get in a header and Dave Thurman, standing in for the injured Chris Norris, was well beaten by the resulting penalty.
With just three minutes left a scramble in the Cowes penalty area ended with Dave Thurman being beaten again by a looping header which dropped in under the bar.
The Yachtsmen almost snatched a late equaliser, but Darren Williams’ shot was deflected wide by a defender and the final whistle brought an end the their winning run.
Cowes Sports: D. Thurman, M. Draper, L. Davies, A. Brett, a. Bryan, C. Insley, T. Dye, G. Bricknell, M. Jones, D. Williams, D. Burbidge.
Substitutes: P. Wilson, J. Wykes, K. Foster.

Warminster Town 0-3 Cowes Sports

Cowes Sports made the long trip to Warminster Town looking to continue their recent winning form.
With youngster Charlie Allen (hamstring) and John Chambers (back) both missing from the squad that won at Hythe & Dibden midweek, the Yachtsmen welcomed back both Craig Insley and Aidan Bryan following illness and injury respectively.
Cowes made the better start with Michael Jones chipping just over the bar early on before taking a deserved lead.   Colin Hubbard, the referee, waved play-on after Max Draper had been up-ended near the touch line deep into the Warminster half.  The ball was crossed into the area where Dom BURBIDGE, challenged by Scott Lewis (home keeper), managed to get his head to the ball and send it into the left corner of the home goal giving Cowes a 10th minute lead.
Warminster’s hopes of finding a way back into the game were dealt a double blow within the next 15 minutes as brothers Jason Guy (concussion) and top scorer Matt Guy (leg) were both forced off being replaced by Craig Sheppard and Dave Watkins respectively.
Another flowing move involving Craig Insley, Lee Davies and Darren Williams nearly ended with Williams increasing the lead but his chip just cleared the crossbar. Pressure eventually paid off as Michael Jones jinked his way into the area before being tripped by defender Lee Davidson earning himself a yellow card and giving Dom BURBIDGE the opportunity to double the Islanders lead which he took with ease. A third goal was nearly added in first half injury time when Kieran Foster’s goalbound effort was deflected wide and from the resulting corner Dom Burbidge’s header was cleared off the goalline before Darren Williams sent the ball wide of the goal.
Warminster looked a different side at the start of the second half and Lee Davies was called upon to clear the ball off his goal line within a minute of the restart.
However despite plenty of possession the home side rarely threatened Chris Norris in the visitors goal. Although Cowes were not quite as effective throughout the second half the one chance they had was taken in the 75th minute when a long ball out of defence saw their keeper come out of his area.  Under challenge from Darren WILLIAMS he missed the ball and the latter passed the ball into the net for the third goal. Late on, both Craig Insley and a home defender were yellow carded after they clashed from which the defender had to leave the field injured. Cowes held on comfortably to record their fourth straight victory without conceding a goal.

TEAM:- C. Norris, M. Draper, L. Davies, A. Brett, C. Insley, K. Foster, D. Burbidge, T. Dye, D. Williams, M. Jones, G. Bricknell capt, Subs; A. Bryan, J. Wykes, D. Thurman.

Cowes Sports 2 US Portsmouth 0

The Yachtsmen completed an impressive double over the sailors after knocking them out of the FA Vase a fortnight before.
Before the kick-off Tom Dye was presented with the September Player of the month award sponsored by Prospect Financial Planning Services.
It took twenty-five minutes for the first incident of note as the visitors fired a shot narrowly wide of the far post.
Ashley Brett headed a Tom Dye corner just wide and then, when the mid-fielder’s shot was parried by the Services’ keeper, Darren Williams’ clinical finish from the rebound, was controversially ruled out by the linesman’s flag.
Just before the break Craig Insley’s shot was also knocked out by the keeper, but this time no-one was on hand to take advantage.
On the hour Cowes broke the deadlock when Tom Dye’s cross was spectacularly volleyed home at the far post by skipper Gareth Bricknell.
After seventy-eight minutes Cowes made the game safe with a second goal as young Jimmy Wykes strode through the visitors’ defence and fired accurately past the advancing keeper into the far corner of the net.
There was still time for Craig Insley to get in a vital block after Lee Davies miscued a clearance and for substitute Kieron Foster to be immediately booked before shooting narrowly over the bar.
Tom Dye was voted the ‘Costcutter @ Pan Stores’ Man of the Match by the Cowes supporters.
Cowes Sports: C. Norris, M. Draper, A. Brett, C. Allen, L. Davies, C. Insley, J. Wykes, T. Dye, D. Williams, M. Jones, G. Bricknell.
Substitutes: D. Burbidge, K. Foster, L. Speechley-Price, D. Thurman.