Attendance – 128
Another tough away fixture for the Yachtsmen saw them travel too Bashley FC a side that had lost their previous three games whilst Cowes had been beaten in their last four .
Once again the Yachtsmen were decimated with injuries, suspension and unavailability. Callum Chase, Gareth Bricknell, Jack Broomfield, Conor White, although he did travel and was named on the bench, but hopefully would not be needed, Connor Furmidge, Michael McEnery and Ed Hatt were the players missing.
Once again the game actually kicked off two minutes early as has been the case many times this season. Dom Sexton’s free kick in the 16th minute found Harry Dye who beat his marker but fired well over. The home sides left back, Sam Jackson, sped down the Cowes right before cutting inside sending his shot at Ben Gearing in the Cowes goal before Hugh Dathan tested the Islanders keeper with a low shot that was turned around the post for a corner. Just past the half hour mark it was Bashley who took the lead when a Cowes mistake out wide allowed the ball to be sent into the box where NATHAN CLEMENTS sent a low shot past Ben Gearing into the bottom right corner of the goal. Three minutes before the break Cowes nearly equalised when a long kick from Ben Gearing saw Tony Rolls headed clearance fall to James Wykes who smashed the ball inches wide of Jason Collins near post.
Cowes were kicking with the strong wind in the second period, but within a minute of the restart it was the home side that doubled their lead when right back Jack Smith saw his cross from the left parried into his OWN GOAL by keeper Ben Gearing. Both sides made a change within minutes of each other, Bashley replacing Tyler Rutten with Dan Munday before Cowes took Jacob Jarvis off with Aarun Ince coming on. Another chance for the Yachtsmen came on 58 minutes when a Max Draper free kick from the right was headed back across goal by Ashley Brett but Dan Pearson could not get a touch and the danger was cleared. On the hour and the game was over as a contest when a third home goal was scored by Substitute DAN MUNDAY who tucked the ball under Ben Gearing having been sent through on goal. From the kick off Cowes needlessly gave the ball away in the left back area where Hugh Dathan sent the ball across for DAN MUNDAY to score from close range. Lewis Blackmore replaced Dan Pearson. Minutes later and HARRISON WHITE fired home from the edge off the area for a fifth goal. Cowes finally got their name on the score sheet when JAMES WYKES pressed their keeper, won the ball before turning and firing into the left corner of the home goal. On 82 minutes a ball into the Cowes area saw Aidan Bryan stoop before trying to clear, the ball hit his thigh but the Referee Kevin Williams adjudged that Aidan had handled the ball and gave a penalty which DAN MUNDAY netted too complete his hat trick. Ashley Brett then thought he had scored for Cowes when he hit a thirty five yard shot that had goal written all over it, but keeper Jason Collins at full stretch got a hand to the ball to divert it onto the crossbar leaving Ashley holding his head in disbelief. To add to Cowes’ woes in injury time BROGEN SIMS shot looked to be covered by Ben Gearing, but somehow the ball slipped through the Cowes stopper into the net for a seventh home goal.
A thoroughly disappointing day for the Yachtsmen with very few of the side coming out of it with any credit. A game that shows that maybe the strength in depth is not there.
Referee:- KEVIN WILLIAMS Assistants – Declan Skehan + Jamie Furlong
Team:-
Ben Gearing, Max Draper, Dominic Sexton, Aidan Bryan (c), Ashley Brett, Charlie Allen, Daniel Pearson, Harry Dye, Jez Conway, Jacob Jarvis, James Wykes
Used Subs – Aarun Ince(Jacob Jarvis) 55, Lewis Blackmore(Daniel Pearson) 73
Unused Subs – Conor White + Dave Thurman g/k