U18’s HIT EIGHT IN HAMPSHIRE SUNDAY U18 CUP

Sunday October 17th   HAMPSHIRE SUNDAY U18 CUP 1st Round     Kick Off – 14:00

COWES SPORTS U18  8 (5) 1 (1)  HART YOUTH SPARTANS U18

played at Westwood Park                                                 Referee:- STEPHEN CURRIE

Team:- COWES SPORTS U18 – Edward HUMPHRIES, Teddy MUMFORD, Rowenn CHURCHILL, Billy BACKSHALL, Mitchell COX, Mark ROBERTSON, Finley KALAKAR, Cory SANDERSON (c), Lorry STANTON, Kyle KILROY, Daniel JOHNSON

Subs:- Josh ANNETT, William FOULSHAM, Jamie TROWBRIDGE, Harry SYMES, Fred SALTER

Following a month without a match the young Yachtsmen were back in action entertaining North Hampshire side Hart Spartans Youth in the first round of the Hampshire Sunday U18 cup.

Manager Jacob Toms was able to pick an almost full strength side, welcoming back Mark Robertson (injury) and Jamie Trowbridge (Covid) to the fold. Very little was known about the visitors from North Hampshire so the squad were told to expect a hard game and that they had to be on top of their game if they wanted to progress.

The young Yachtsmen started the match with great intent to make sure their visitors were put on the back foot. The Island side were rewarded on 7 minutes as MARK ROBERTSON fired home from close range for an early lead. That was nearly doubled just two minutes later when from a corner a header was cleared off the goal line defender. Another corner from the right found Rowenn Churchill but his header flew wide of goal on 10 minutes. Cowes were totally dominating the early stages and again nearly added a second goal when Dan Johnson played in Rowenn Churchill who beat his defender with ease before giving Lorry Stanton the chance to score  but visiting keeper Gregory Wright blocked well at his near post to deny the Cowes forward. Cowes pressure finally told on 16 minutes when Mark Robertson picked out skipper CORY SANDERSON who side footed the ball into the left corner of the visitors goal. The North Hampshire side were a little dis-spirited and at times were being torn apart by some slick football from the home side. Right back Teddy Mumford sent a powerful shot across the keeper in the 20th minute only for the ball to smash against the right hand post and rebound back across the face of the goal before being cleared. Mid way through the first half and Cowes were again rewarded when Mark Robertson threaded a lovely pass to LORRY STANTON who netted a third goal. Mark Robertson was then adjudged to have been fouled in the box in the 25th minute and CORY SANDERSON stepped up to score the spot kick despite the keeper diving the right way. Kyle Kilroy was next to try and add his name to the list of scorers but his 28th minute shot was wide of target. CORY SANDERSON completed his 16 minute hat trick when he was given time and space to fire home from 23 yards as Cowes threatened to run up a cricket score. However  Hart Youth had other ideas and on 34 minutes OLIVER CRANE was put through and he outpaced Mitchell Cox before slotting the ball past Ed Humphries to score. Shortly after the home side were again under pressure and had keeper Ed Humphries as he saved well to deny Oliver Crane a second goal. Just before the break Jamie Trowbridge thought he had added number six  but his long range effort hit the back of Oliver Burgess and looped over the bar. So the boys in blue went into half time with a comfortable lead and the crowd of 50 plus wondering how many they may get. H-t 5 – 1

Four minutes into the second half and a ball into the visitors area appeared to be handled by a defender but the home sides appeals for a second penalty were waved away by the Referee. with roll on roll off subs allowed in this competition 15 year old sub Fred Salter saw his goal bound shot deflect off Adam Chapman and over the bar. Two subs then combined for another effort at goal as Jamie Trowbridge’s strong run down the left saw him cut the ball back to William Foulsham but yet again a Hart defender blocked the shot on the goal line and the ball looped over the bar. On the hour and again Cowes were thwarted, this time a corner from the Cowes right found the head of Rowenn Churchill but his header crashed off the crossbar.  Credit to the visitors they kept battling away and in the 62nd minute a corner from their left was headed goalwards but Teddy Mumford was on the line to clear the ball. Two minutes later Oliver Crane cut inside from the left and from a very tight angle saw his shot pushed away by Ed Humphries. Jamie Trowbridge was desperate to score on his return to the side and on 71 minutes his powerful run at their defence ended with a shot across their keeper but the ball flew wide of the left hand upright. Another player who wanted to add his name to the scoresheet was Kyle Kilroy and on 76 minutes he thought he had succeeded when his low shot looked to be heading in but Gregory Wright got down low to parry the ball away from goal. Mark Robertson then appeared to be fouled close to the bye line but the match official only gave Cowes a corner as he thought the Hart defender had played the ball while most thought it was either a penalty for the home side or a goal kick to Hart Youth. From the resulting corner Kyle Kilroy was once again denied as his header was cleared off the goal line by a defender. In the 79th minute Cowes finally added a sixth goal when FRED SALTER’S low shot from 25 yards found the back of the net. Three minutes from time and a through ball saw MARK ROBERTSON beat a defender and their keeper to the ball to poke the ball into the right side of the goal for his second and Cowes’ seventh goal of the game. Not to be denied KYLE KILROY finally got his name on the scoresheet when he headed home a Daniel Johnson corner with the last touch of the game to complete a comfortable 8 – 1 win and book Cowes’ place in the second round and a trip to Bournemouth to take on Dorset side Moordown & Southbourne on Sunday November 14th.