Wessex League Div. 1

East Cowes Vics 1, Ringwood Town 1

EAST Cowes Vics welcomed Ringwood Town to Beatrice Avenue at the weekend, together with a returning set of fans starved of live action for a month.

Vics started the game well, and spurned a glorious chance to open their account on 11 minutes, when Jimmi Burton raced clean through on goal.

An attempt to work the ball into a perfect shooting position afforded Ringwood defenders time to recover, and the young striker saw his delayed shot blocked.

The ball sat up nicely for Burton to have a second bite, but the Ringwood keeper was quick to smother the ball.

The early scare woke the visitors up, and a couple of efforts in the 26th minute were well intercepted by the home side.

Ringwood were unlucky ten minutes later, when a fine run and shot from their number nine crashed against the Vics’ post.

With both sides rusty following a long break, turnover of possession was frequent.

On the 42nd minute, a shot from Burton sailed wide, and Vics keeper Karl Steinborn-Busse was called upon soon after to deny the visitors a headed goal in the 44th minute.

The hosts almost went ahead on 60 minutes, when a free kick by Jordan Chapman found Burton, whose glancing header missed the far post.

Four minutes later, a balletic run from Jayden Yates and a pinpoint cross to the far post found Ji NASH in space, and the Vics forward tapped in from two yards out.

Parity was reinstated just two minutes thereafter, when Ringwood pushed forward straight from the kick off and found the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

The visitors, in the ascendancy, fluffed a series of opportunities to take the lead ­— their best chance superbly blocked by Man of the Match, Henry West.

Vics were denied the chance to restore their lead on 79 minutes when Brad Young ­— who had been on the pitch a mere 30 seconds ­— saw an effort sail narrowly wide of the target.

On 86 minutes, Burton broke through the Ringwood defence once again, but his shot was well saved by the keeper, who palmed the ball over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

The visitors’ ever-dangerous number nine broke clear three minutes later, but failed to trouble the keeper, steering his effort wide.

With the last kick of the game, the home fans thought their team had won it when a sublime curling effort from Burton looked destined for the net, only to whistle inches past the post.

East Cowes Vics: Steinborn-Busse, Newbold, White, West, Gregory, Catania, Chapman, Coode, Burton, Kirby, Yates, Nash, West, Saunders, Young, Berry.

Fellow Division 1 side, Newport, were beaten 4-2 by a travelling Hythe and Dibden side. 
The home side went a goal down on the eight minute mark, and the visitors scored a second on 30 minutes.

Connor KELLY converted a spot kick on 42 minutes, but the visitors extended their lead shortly after the break.

Newport reduced the deficit five minutes later when a low cross into the box found the feet of Joe CRAIG, but the visitors sealed their victory late on and Newport were made to wait for their sixth win of the season. 

Over in the Premier Division, Cowes Sports were unable to put their pre-lockdown woes behind them, losing 1-0 at home to Lymington Town.

The result sees them languishing in 17th place and still looking for their third win of the new campaign.