Match Report – COWES SPORTS v Solent University 07-12-19

Saturday December 7th – SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE (WESSEX) Premier Division

COWES SPORTS 1(0) SOLENT UNIVERSITY 2(0)

played at Westwood Park  Attendance – 119

Referee – ROBERT WALCZAC  Assistants : Alistair Taylor + Steve Currie

CRUSHING HOME DEFEAT FOR YACHTSMEN LEAVES THEM THIRD FROM BOTTOM

Following the midweek home cup defeat the Yachtsmen entertained Solent University one of the sides below them in the league in another big game for both sides.

With keeper Ed Hatt serving the first of a three game suspension following his dismissal at Fleet, young Fraser Law came in as number one, Aiden White started at left back whilst Tom Dye , Ashley Brett and back from injury Ben Snow also began the game. Fin Phillips, Ewan Cranwell, Mitch Ricketts, James Cheek were joined on the bench by George Carter-Knight who was making a return to football following his horrific accident near on two years ago.

Team:-

Fraser Law, Conor White, Aiden White, Aidan Bryan, Morgan Perrin, Ashley Brett (c), Tom Dye, Scott McFarlane, James Wykes, Ji Nash, Ben Snow

Subs:- Mitchell Ricketts, Finley Phillips, Ewan Cranwell, James Cheek, George Carter-Knight

The Uni boys showed their intent in the very first minute when Jean Pier-Alexander flicked the ball on to Ethan Taylor whose shot was well blocked by Fraser Law before the ball was cleared for a throw on the Cowes right. So an early warning for the Islanders. Eleven minutes in and another chance for the visitors as Ethan Taylor easily beat right back Conor White before once again seeing Fraser Law block his shot. The home sides first chance came on the quarter of an hour when a Ji Nash free kick into the box just evaded Morgan Perrin and went out for a goal kick. a minute later Cowes had shouts for a penalty when a Ji Nash cross appeared to hit the arm of a defender in the box, but appeals were waved away by the Referee, the rebound went back to Ji Nash who this time curled the ball just wide of the Solent Uni right post. Ji Nash continued to cause problems as a long range shot just cleared the bar. Just past the half hour mark James Wykes sent in a cross that found Scott McFarlane but he could not get enough of a touch to divert the ball into the net. The Uni boys main threat, Ethan Taylor, then had a free kick that once again Fraser Law saved, then on the stroke of half time he again wasted a chance when he fired wide of the Cowes left hand post as the game remained goal less at the break.

Cowes were forced to make a change at the start of the second period with Finley Phillips replacing Ben Snow. Nine minutes into the half came the breakthrough when ETHAN TAYLOR finally found the target beating Fraser Law though looking suspiciously offside. Cowes however were not behind for long as they levelled within a minute when James Wykes used his strength to beat a Uni defender on the far side of the park before making his way across the edge of the box then laying the ball to FINLEY PHILLIPS whose side footed effort found the bottom right corner of the visitors net. In the 62nd minute the Island side nearly took the lead when a Scott McFarlane effort was pushed away by Dominic Oakes in the Uni goal. From the corner Scott McFarlane’s flicked header was cleared off the line by a defender. Ewan Cranwell then replaced Tom Dye. The biggest cheer of the afternoon came in the 75th minute when Scott McFarlane was replaced by the returning George Carter-Knight. Kristain Andonov went close for the visitors before, with ten minutes remaining the visitors broke and JAMES GOODEY fired home what proved to be the winner from 16 yards or so. As the game entered injury time Ji Nash was booked and Ewan Cranwell was incorrectly sin binned as another Cowes player said something out of turn but the Referee carded the nearest player to him having heard but not seen who had spoken. Cowes almost levelled in injury time when George Carter-Knight sent a rasping left foot drive inches over the bar, what a comeback that would have been.

Defeat for the home side sent them down to 18th as Solent University climbed above them but have played three games more.