The Isle of Wight Memorial Cup final saw two Island Division 1 sides battle it out for silverware tonight, Friday, May 17 (scroll down for video...).
Ventnor 4-1 High Park
Ventnor took on High Park at the Peter Henry Ground in Brading, after finishing an excellent third this season.
Last year, they gained promotion from Division 2, as champions.
Ventnor's Charlie Urry shapes up for a shot (Image: Paul Blackley/IWCP)
High Park substitute, Issac Marley, getting closed down by Ventnor's Martin Barrow (Image: Paul Blackley/IWCP)
Underdogs, High Park, were also promoted last year, but followed it up with a troubling season — finishing bottom, with points deducted for a poor disciplinary record.
Just 30 seconds after kick off, Ventnor took an incredibly early lead, heading down the left, with the ball passed inside to Jack Barsdell, who backheeled it into the path of Charlie URRY on the edge of the box.
Urry, in turn, thundered in a shot past the High Park keeper's left.
High Park supporters were up in arms just a few minutes later, when Ventnor keeper, Dan Russell, brought down centre forward, Dan Robjant, in the box.
The referee waived away their protests.
Just after ten minutes, Barsdell took the ball down the right, with a lung-busting run, and played a peach of a cross into the back post for URRY, who netted his brace, and Ventnor's second, with his head.
Within 20 minutes, injuries forced High Park into two early substitutions, leaving just one more option on the bench. But they earned themselves a lifeline in the 38th, after a corner was cleared as far as the right boot of Nathan HOLTON, who watched as the ball flew past Russell, into the Ventnor net.
A challenge by Ventnor keeper, Dan Russell, on High Park's Dan Robjant, led to disagreement about whether it was a penalty (Image: Paul Blackley/IWCP)
Dramatic skies for the football final (Image: IWCP)
Victorious Ventnor! (Image: Paul Blackley/IWCP)
Under the floodlights, in the second half, Urry saw a chance for a hattrick flash past the post, from 25 yards.
Ventnor kept up the pressure and, in 55th minute, Fred Knowles crashed a free-kick on the edge of the box off the bar, followed by Urry, who saw another attempt fly wide.
High Park fought back and Ventnor's keeper, Dan Russell, was forced into a good save.
Ten minutes from time, a Ventnor shot clattered against the bar and deflected, into the path of Martin BARROW, who punted the ball past Williams, from a couple of yards out.
Ventnor made it four with the last kick of the game after a ball, sent long from the halfway line, was taken down beautifully by URRY.
He saw his shot creep in at the near post, completing his hattrick.
Congratulations to Ventnor, who thoroughly deserved to claim this year's Memorial Cup.
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