By Isle of Wight Observer
With the weather continuing to impact fixtures, Whitecroft & Barton beat Brading to reach the Challenge Cup final, and West Wight extended their lead at the top of Division One. Harry Taylor struck 4 for High Park, Robbie Shepherd hit 4 for Newport Res, and Newport scrambled a last minute point in Wessex.
Divisions One and Two
Cowes Reserves move to second place in the league, recovering from being 1-0 down at half-time to beat Shanklin 2-1 at the County Ground. Goals came from Luca Weeks and Mark Goodwin, capitalising on defensive errors in wet and windy conditions. Keeper, Viljen Isupov, had an outstanding game, after prolific Rory Day gave Shanklin the lead. Shanklin was frustrated at being denied a penalty when a Cowes player picked the ball up in the penalty area.
West Wight won 4-1 away at Northwood, with a goal apiece for Josh Daley and Jude Millar, and two for Chris Elliott, with Vinnie Morgan netting for Northwood. The win sees West Wight go 4 points ahead of Cowes Reserves at the top of the table, and third-placed W&B are 6 points behind with 4 games in hand.
High Park won 6-2 at home to Oakfield. Nathan Roberts put Oakfield ahead, Scott Saunders equalised, and Harry Taylor, with the first of 4 goals, gave High Park the lead. Mark Taylor scored for Park, before Callum Gawm lobbed another at replacement keeper Sol Carson, taking over from an injured Harry Mitchell, from well outside the penalty area.
Osborne Coburg won 2-1 to a battling Ventnor side, with goals from Owen Clarke and Brad Kenning.
In Division Two, East Cowes Sports won 5-0 at home to Newchurch, with goals from Josh and Gary Richardson, Aiden Jones, Mackinley Blacklock and Andy Ebbs.
Four goals from Robbie Shepherd helped Newport Res win 9-1 at home to Seaview, with 2 each from Josh Gwilliam and Ash Gulliver, another from Riley Wain and Fin Armstrong scoring the consolation goal.
Cups
W&B beat Brading 3-2 in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, with Roman Caleb Dyer giving Brading a 1-0 half-time lead. After the break, sub Joe Rayner levelled and Jake Keetch restored Brading’s lead, before Aidan Sainsbury and Sam Yelland’s goals were enough to see W&B reach the final.
Wight Eagles lost 9-1 at home to Winchester City Flyers in the Invitation Cup, with the lone Island goal coming from Lauren Hamer.
Combinations One and Two
Third-placed Bembridge & Vectis Res drew 3-3 at home to second-placed Brading Res, with Connor Coburn, Tim Shaw and Brad Gamble on target for Brading, and Joe Houghton (2) and Harry Symes replying for Bembridge.
Shanklin Reserves won 6-0 away at Ventnor Res, with goals from Sam Collings, Toby Daniel, Jack Winterbottom, and subs Elliott Yardley (2) and George Lee.
Wessex
East Cowes Vics lost 1-0 at home to Portland, and the Cowes match was postponed.
In Division One, Newport drew 2-2 away at Fawley, with goals from Joe Butcher in the first minute and Ji Nash in the 90th.