By Isle of Wight Observer
With wet weather affecting weekend matches, West Wight overcame Shanklin in the semi-final of the IW Challenge Cup, East Cowes Sports won 7-0 at home to High Park Res in the second round of the Junior A cup, and Shanklin Res won 3-2 away to Osborne Coburg Res in Combination One.
The classic Challenge Cup clash at the County Ground saw the Division One leaders repeatedly denied in the first half. A string of brave saves from Shanklin goalkeeper, Ash Goldsmith, along with a dogged defensive display from Dan Drudge, kept the scores level. Ben Gregory and Frank Stuber – both later booked by referee, Dave Jukes – helped hold off a pacey West Wight attack, while Gareth Bricknell and Jude Millar, who was injured late in the half, remained a constant threat. Despite the pressure at both ends, the game was goalless at the break.
Shanklin was lifted, by manager Ian Bennett’s half-time team talk, and began to gain a stronger foothold in the game. Their pressure paid off in the 70th minute, when a swift counter-attack allowed prolific striker, Rory Day, to fire past West Wight goal-keeper, Ben Gearing, giving Shanklin the lead in front of a vocal crowd of more than 150. They had a further chance to double their advantage soon after, but West Wight’s keeper denied them with a crucial save.
West Wight threw caution to the wind, with Shanklin’s defence making a goal-line clearance, and capitalised on a rare Shanklin defensive error. The ref awarded a hotly-disputed penalty, and West Wight’s Chris Elliott calmly sent Shanklin keeper, Ash Goldsmith, the wrong way, and equalised in the bottom corner.
With 90 minutes up, and both sides bruised and battered after a pitch-draining encounter, penalties followed, with Shanklin shooting first. The shoot-out reached 2-2 before West Wight keeper, Ben Gearing, with a reputation for shoot-out saves, pulled off 2 saves to secure a place in the final for West Wight, leaving Shanklin to rue what might have been.
Shaun Gulliver’s hat-trick helped East Cowes Sport win 7-0 at home to High Park Reserves, in the second round of the Junior A Cup, with other goals from Aiden Jones, Chris Turner, and Josh and Gary Richardson. Ref, Ali Taylor, awarded a penalty that bounced in off the crossbar.
In Combination One, Shanklin Res came back from 2-0 down away, at Osborne Coburg Res, to win 3-2, with Jason Hodgkins and Isheanesu Goredema giving Coburg the first-half lead. Shanklin’s Sam Collings (2) and Jason Smythers gave Shanklin the points.
Wessex
With Vics and Cowes matches postponed, Newport player-manager, Joe Butcher, celebrated his 300th appearance for the club, inspiring a 4-2 away win against Hamworthy. In torrential rain, the Islanders made errors to go 2 goals behind after 20 minutes, with ‘Port responding through a Jez Conway header from a corner.
After the break, top-scorer Ji Nash found space in the penalty area to level from close range. Scoring again, Nash gave ‘Port the lead, and, in the final seconds, Nash lobbed the keeper to complete his hat-trick and secure 3 points.