SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE(WESSEX) – Premier Division Saturday October 17th 2020
COWES SPORTS 8 v 1 PORTLAND UNITED played at Westwood Park Kick Off 15:00 Attendance – 149 Referee:- Tom Berry Assistants – Alistair Taylor + Chris Cass
Following their FA Vase exit last week Cowes Sports entertained Portland United for this Premier League fixture. Like the Yachtsmen the visitors have had a tough start to the campaign but must have been in buoyant mood having beaten Amesbury Town 1 – 0 last weekend and they sat three places above the Yachtsmen with four points so far from their seven games so far whilst their hosts were rooted to the bottom without a point to their name from five fixtures. Manager Max Draper was boosted by the return of Aaron Burford following suspension along with Conor White. The bench looked very strongas three of last weeks starters, Finley Phillips, Jared Wetherick and Aarun Ince were joined by club Captian John McKie after his injury problems.
Team:-
Edward Hatt, Conor White, Jimmy Mumford, Morgan Perrin, Callum Chase(c), Aaron Burford (65), Scott McFarlane, Lewis Wright, Jez Conway(71), Alex Wright, James Wykes(79), Subs:- John McKie(65), Finley Phillips(71), Jared Wetherick(79), Aarun Ince, Joe Winchcombe g/k
Quite a sluggish start from both sides with the only action in the first quarte of an hour being two yellow cards being shown, Cowes Sports’ Morgan Perrin (7 min) the first before Portlands’ left back Harry Hutchinson joing him in the 13th minute. Scott McFarlane then saw his 15th minute shot saved low down by Josh Lucas in the visitors goal before minutes later Portlands Lewis Hanratty scuffed his shot wide of the Cowes goal. A poor clearance from a visiting defender ballooned into the air before Scott McFarlane saw his header claimed by the visiting number 1. Cowes were then hit by a sucker punch in the 25th minute when a cross from the right back area saw JIMMY MUMFORD, under pressure from Joel Hewitt, send the ball past the helpless Ed Hatt into his own goal as the visitors took the lead. James Wykes then became the second home player to be cautioned when he pushed their left back to the ground near the byeline. A couple of Cowes free kicks in quick succession caused problems in the Portland defence, The first from the halfway line was flicked into the path of James Wykes but a great tackle from a defender bloched the Cowes forwards shot before another free kick into their box was only cleared to Scott McFarlane just outside the area, his shot was sliced over his own crossbar by Franklyn Clarke. A bit of route one football in the 34th minute saw the Yachtsmen equalise. Ed Hatt’s long drop kick was flicked on by James Wykes head into the path of JEZ CONWAY who buried his volley into the back of the Portland goal. Despite the best efforts from all neither side were abkle to fashion out any fyurther chances , so the teams went into the break level at one a piece.
H-t 1 – 1
Cowes started the second half with great intent as Kewis Wright fed Conor White and the full back sent in a cross that Arron Burford headed straight into the greatful hands of keeper Josh Lucas. In the 51st minute the home side finally got there noses in front for the first time this season in a league game when James Wykes got tio the byeline, sent a cross in to the far post where a brave header from JEZ CONWAY saw him net his second of tyhe game altough also colliding with the post as well leading to some concern for a while, but he eventually got up without injury, just a bit winded. Portland responded with two substitutions as Jacob Read and Marcus Smith replaced Harry Hutchinson and Lewis Henratty. Louis Hankin then found his name in the Referee’s black book for a foul when he pulled down Aaron Burford near the right touchline before Conor White joined him a minute or two later. James Wykes should really have added a third goal in the 58th minute as he hassled a defender into a mistake, won the ball but fired it well over the bar with only the keeper in his way. Cowes did not have to wait long though as a minute later Alex Wright was fouled just outside the right edge of the Portland area and LEWIS WRIGHT stepped up to curl the ball over the wall and Josh Lucas into the roof of the net to make it 3 – 1 to Cowes. Before the restart the visitors Ollie Lowes was sin binned for dissent towards Tom Berry the Referee so Portland were down to ten men for 10minutes. However it was they that had the chance to pull a goal back but skipper Ryan McKechnie sent a shot wide of goal. Having run himself into the
ground Aaron Burford was replaced in the 65th minute with John McKie making his long awaited return. Within three minutes the Cowes marksman was in the thick of the action sending an effort wide of goal. Some excellent inter play from Portland finished with Ben Morris forcingg Ed Hatt to save low to his left. Two goal Jez Conway was then replaced by Finley Phillips and in the 75th minute it was the two substitutes who combined to increase Cowes’ lead. An excellent through ball from Finley Phillips sent JOHN MCKIE in on goal and the returning marksman made no mistake as he buried the ball in the right corner of the Portland goal. Again though it was the visitors who threatend with a quick break Ollie Lowes fed Ben Morrris but he sent his first time effort over the bar. Cowes then attacked down the left and John McKie was fouled in the box close to the byeline by Alfie Toland, Referee Tom Berry pointed to the spot without hesitation. JOHN MCKIE picked himself up to send keeper Josh Lucas the wrong way to score Cowes’ fifth goal of the afternoon. Again Ollie Lowes had too much to say and was booked for dissent, had he been sin binned he would not have been able to return, though they could have replaced him after the ten minutes had expired. Jered Wetherick replaced James Wykes for the Yachtsmen. In the 81st minute Alex Wright done well on the right to win the ball back for the home side before clipping a cross into the box where JOHN MCKIE beat the keeper and a defender to glance a header into ther unguarded net thus completing his hat trick in 15 minutes and make it 6 – 1 to Cowes. Alex Wright then saw his volley comeback off the left post of the Portland goal before in the 84th minute combining with Fin Phillps with a short corner that the latter crossed into the middle of the box for CALLUM CHASE to head over the keeper into the goal for number seven. As Cowes looked for more goals a minute from time Lewis Wright done well in midfield to win the ball before Jared Wetherick thread a pass to JOHN MCKIE who fired across their keeper into the right side netting for his fourth and Cowes’ eighth goal. Cowes had to play the last couple of minutes with ten when Alex Wright limped off with cramp.
The Yachtmen moved off the bottom of the table with this emphatic win. It is thei first time Cowes had scored EIGHT goals at home in a league match since 2012/13 when they beat Ringwood Town 8 – 2 and their biggest winning margin since 2002/03 when they defeated Downton 8 – 0 though there have been three seven goal winning margins since then, Blackfield & Langley(7 – 0 02/03), Downton(7 – 0 07/08) ajnd Andover New Street (7 – 0 12/13).