By Isle of Wight Observer
Whitecroft & Barton return to top Division One, with their Reserves winning to top Combination One. There was a shock at Osborne Coburg A, two 11-goal wins for Oakfield sides, a draw in Wessex, for Cowes, and a narrow defeat for Shanklin Ladies, in Hants Division One.
Island Divisions One and Two
W&B won decisively 4-0 away at Shanklin, with first-half goals from Aidan Sainsbury and Sam Yelland. Second-half strikes came from Kade Woodford and a second Yelland strike. Ref Ian Vallance awarded the visitors 2 penalties, in a match dominated by the defending league champions, including midfielder, Ollie Frost, returning to his old club, and inspiring player-of-the-match Sam Cant.
Osborne Coburg drew 2-2 at home to Binstead COB, with Jim Cantelo and Josh Piper on target for Coburg. Liam Lock and Mark Walters scored for the Binmen.
Scott Lawson’s goal saw Brading Town win 1-0 away at Vectis.
Northwood won 4-2 away at Cowes Res, with consolation goals from Zac Fever-Norton and Sonny Myram, who was later sin-binned.
Northwood came back from a goal behind through a John Bilton header, levelled with a James Flux free-kick, went ahead with Flux’s 30-yarder and won with Barney Snaith’s composed finish.
In Division Two, East Cowes Sports won 5-0 away at Newchurch, with goals from Joe Porter, Roland Bryan, Jamie Wright, Maca Barnes and Josh Richardson.
Newport Res won 5-1 at home to Ryde Saints.
Nathan Roberts scored 4 in Oakfield’s 11-1 win away at Seaview, with a consolation goal from Tom Smith.
Combinations One and Two
W&B Reserves won a frenetic home match 4-2 against Shanklin Reserves, with a hat-trick from Keir Ramage and 1 from Tommy Jackson. Visitors Shanklin scored through Keenan Phillips and Jason Smythers, in the first half to go the break level.
In Combination Two, leaders Osborne Coburg A lost 4-3 at home to 2nd-placed Niton Res, with the visitors’ goals from Tony Potts (2) and 1 apiece from Liam Blythe and sub Lewis Evans. Coburg’s goals came from Jason Pengelly, Michal Poplawski and Charlie Sharpe.
Oakfield Res won 11-0 away at Newchurch Res. The score included a Josh Parsons hat-trick, 2 goals for Robbie Woodford and Aaron Youngson, a delicate dink and a bullet header from Joel Preston.
High Park A won 6-1 at home to Bembridge A, with Luca Wallis on target for Bembridge.
Wessex Leagues
On a mud-bath of a pitch, Cowes Sports drew 3-3 away at Downton, with Charlie Marsek and Scott McFarlane’s penalty giving the Yachtsmen a first-half lead before conceding a penalty, then going in 2-1 ahead at the break. Callum Chase got the third, before being sin-binned for arguing with the ref’s award of another penalty. Cowes then conceded a third and finished in a draw.
In Division One, East Cowes Vics lost 2-0 away at Amesbury Town, conceding in both halves, with Jordan Chapman sent off in the second half.
Newport lost 1-0 at home to Fleetlands, despite a player-of-the-match performance from Neo Lamb.
Midweek Wessex matches
East Cowes Vics visit to Lymington finished in a 1-1 draw. After a goal-less first half, skipper Liam Newbold gave the Islanders the lead, with less than 10 minutes of the match remaining, frustratingly Lymington equalised with the last kick of the Division 1 game.
Premier side, Cowes lost 3-2 away at Baffin Milton Rovers. The Islanders went into the break a goal behind, but saw Scott McFarlane level early in the second half. Minutes later Charlie Marsek gave the Yachtsmen the lead, which was short-lived when the ref awarded Baffin a penalty, and coach, Mark Woodhouse, received a red-card. With 10 minutes left Baffin scored the winner and left the Islanders disappointed not to get something out of the game.
Women
A bracing and blustery battle at the County Ground saw table-topping Shanklin narrowly lose 1-0 to a confident Farnborough side.
Liphook won 3-0 at home to Wight Eagles in Division Two.
The weekend also saw a ground-breaking youth match between Ventnor and Wight Eagles, won 6-0 by Ventnor, with the game officiated by an all-female team.
Fixtures
In Wessex, Cowes welcome Sherborne Town in the Premier, and Vics travel to Cove, with Newport also away at Verwood Town in Division One.
The Hants Saturday Vase see Sandown & Lake Res visit Hampton, and West Wight Res host AFC Solent.
On the Island, Bembridge welcome W&B in Division One, with Brading home to Binstead COB, Northwood entertaining Shanklin, and Vectis hosting Cowes Res.
In Division Two, 2nd-placed East Cowes Sports are home to leaders, High Park, Niton welcome Newchurch, and Ryde Sports face Oakfield.
In Combination One, leaders W&B Res host Ventnor Res, Binstead COB Res are home to Bembridge Res, and High Park Res entertain Shanklin Res.
Bembridge A are home to Vectis A, High Park A host Ryde Saints Res, Newchurch Res face Ventnor A, and Oakfield Res entertain Niton Res in Combination Two,
On Sunday, with Shanklin Ladies having a weekend break, Wight Eagles are home to Alton Ladies in Division Two.
To view our on-line gallery of this week’s sport, visit iw.observer/317-sport.