Saturday August 10th – EMIRATES F A Cup Extra Preliminary Round
YACHSTMEN CRUMBLE TO DEFEAT IN F A CUP
COWES SPORTS 0 (0) LYMINGTON TOWN 4 (1)
played at Westwood Park Attendance – 157
Cowes came into this F A Cup tie full of confidence having beaten Portchester on their own patch in midweek.
The home side welcomed back Manager Steve Rutter following his holiday. He had a hard job following the success Alex Smith had had in midweek. Again changes were forced as Aidan Bryan and Jimmy Wykes(injury) were missing. Ewan Cranwell returned whilst Ji Nash stepped up from the bench to start.
Team:-
Edward Hatt, Conor White, Isaac Cruise, Callum Chase, Ashley Brett, Ewan Cranwell, Scott McFarlane, Gareth Bricknell (c), Darren Williams, Ji Nash, Jacob Jarvis, Subs; Samuel Kirby, Aedan Coode, Jez Conway, Dominic Sexton, Dave Thurman g/k
As early as the second minute the home side should have taken the lead when Gareth Bricknell’s effort on goal was blocked, the loose ball fell to Darren Williams whose first shot was also blocked before he then mis kicked his second effort and the danger was cleared by Lymington. Just three minutes later and the Yachtsmen once again fell behind when STEVE FLYNN rose unchallenged to head home a free kick from near the half way line on the Cowes right. Minutes later and Rian Drake fired a shot just wide of Ed Hatt’s right hand post. Lymington were creating numerous chances and in the 19th minute should have doubled their advantage when a straight ball through the middle sent Dominic Falco bearing down on goal, but Cowes stopper Ed Hatt made himself big to block the striker’s shot and keep the Island side in the game. Another great chance for Lymington in the 22nd minute when a Steve Flynn volley was pushed away by Ed Hatt before Ewan Cranwell completed the clearance. Ten minutes before half time and once again Ed Hatt came to the Yachtsmen’s rescue with another great one handed save to deny Mike Gosney. So it was the visitors that led by just the one goal at the break.
Five minutes into the second half and the Linnets finally found the back of the Cowes net for the second time when STEVE FLYNN – looking suspiciously offside, was played in before driving the ball across goal into the right corner of the goal. Jacob Jarvis was replaced on 5 minutes by Jez Conway before Aedan Coode came on for Scott McFarlane(65 min). However on 68 minutes Lymington added a third goal. What looked to be a foul on Callum Chase saw the Referee give the New Forest side the free kick which was played into Steve Flynn whose effort was saved, but the loose ball found ADAM COSTELLO on the left side of the box, he duly buried the ball in the back of the Cowes goal. With twenty minutes remaining Cowes thought they had pulled a goal back when a Darren Williams cross from in front of the clubhouse found Jez Conway who wheeled away to celebrate, some 10 to 15 seconds later the Assistants flag was raised and the goal was ruled out for offside, another dubious decision against Cowes. Cowes final substitution saw Darren Williams replaced by Samuel Kirby but the final action of the game saw a long ball down the Cowes left latched onto by Steve Flynn, his cross into the centre was unfortunately slid into his own goal by EWAN CRANWELL to complete the scoring and before the ball was retrieved from the goal the final whistle was blown as another Wembley dream was well and truly crushed for the Yachtsmen