Newport And Cowes Sports In Action Tomorrow (Saturday)

Newport and Cowes Sports are in Wessex League action tomorrow, but East Cowes Vics’ scheduled game against Division One newcomers, Infinity, has been postponed because of ground-sharing problems for the mainland outfit.

Peter White writes...

Newport Aim To Stretch Fine Run

Newport will be hoping to continue their push for promotion from the First Division when they visit Romsey Town, whose recent run has enabled them to push their way into play-off contention. Even so, the Island side will go into the game full of confidence, having scored an amazing 19 goals in their last three outings, including six against local rivals East Cowes Vics in midweek.

But Newport Manager, Steve Brougham, is taking nothing for granted against in-form Romsey, who appointed a new manager this week.

Steve said:

“Romsey is always a tough place to go, so it’s one of those games when I would willingly settle for a 1-0 win. We just got to keep the momentum going, so if we can keep a clean sheet, and then nick a goal I would be more than happy.

“Unfortunately, we will not be at full strength. Alan Burford and Connor Kelly, two big players for us, are definitely missing through injury, while Liam Triggs will have a late fitness test. Although skipper Martin McDonagh was sent off against Vics, his suspension does not begin until after this game, so at least he will be available.”

Meanwhile, Newport hope to solve their issues over the use of Smallbrook Stadium as their temporary home ground in the near future.

A spokesman for the club said:

“Previous issues have all been well documented, and the current situation is that all parties are working amicably together to try to bring about a solution that is acceptable to everyone.”

Draper Looks For Response

In the Premier Division, Cowes Sports visit Shaftesbury, hoping for a much-improved performance following their disappointing at Bournemouth last weekend. But it will be no easy ride for the Yachtsmen who face a team seventh in the table, but surprisingly have a better record away from home this season than on their own patch. 

Despite some so-called supporters recently voicing their frustrations at the club’s current poor run, manager Max Draper remains buoyant and dedicated to his task.

Max said:

"We go into this game needing a response from last week’s poor showing at Bournemouth. The lads now need to take on board the criticism we have rightly received and go into the game fired up and ready to get going. 

“As per usual we are without a few thanks to COVID, unavailability, injury and suspension. With Conor Furmidge looking like he’ll spend a month or two on the side-lines and John McKie and Ewan Cranwell unavailable, it’s time for others to stand up and be counted. Shaftesbury are a good side and even better on their patch. We go in as underdogs and hopefully that brings us back to our fighting roots which we have lacked recently.”

Vics Must Sit It Out 

East Cowes Vics will be unable to get the midweek defeat by Newport out of their systems, because their match against troubled mainland club Infinity has been postponed. This is the first season in the Wessex League for the Hampshire side, who ironically began the campaign with a 2-0 victory over Vics. But their problems began soon after that win due to ground-sharing problems with Hythe and Dibden, which I understand are ongoing. They have so far had to call off four of their games, and their whole future remains uncertain.

Vics Manager, Richie Woodburn, said:

“It is a strange situation for them, and I wouldn’t like to guess which way it is going to go. In some ways Newport are in a similar situation, because they have no home ground at present, but they are still managing to play their games, either by using our ground, or by switching their fixture to play away.

"In one way, the game being called off is good for us, because several of my players would have been missing though injury, and this break will give them a bit of time to recover."