FA Cup And League Action For Island Trio 

Cowes Sports and Newport both return to FA Cup action this weekend, while East Cowes Vics will be hoping to build on the promising start to their Wessex League campaign, when they take on Ringwood Town. 

Cowes have home advantage for their FA Cup preliminary round tie against comparative unknowns, Larkhall Athletic. The club are based in the Larkhall area of Bath, affiliated to the Somerset County FA, and are currently members of the Southern League Division One South. That should make them slight favourites, despite their long round-trip to the Island.

But the Yachtsmen will have different ideas, and will be boosted by their excellent victory last weekend, when they saw off Alresford Town in the Wessex Premier Division, courtesy of two goals from the club’s leading marksman, John McKie.

Newport must travel to Stoneham, a team playing in the Wessex League, Premier Division. They finished a very respectable fifth in the top flight last season, and have begun this campaign with a home win and an away loss.

Newport have made a quiet start to their campaign with an away win and home loss. So, they will be travelling to Stoneham knowing a victory would be a huge morale-booster and the launch pad for another push for promotion to the Premier Division.

Meanwhile, East Cowes Vics will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to their First Division programme when they travel to Ringwood. They have picked up four points from two outings, but know they will have to be at their best if they are to return with anything from a Ringwood Town side, whose opening two matches have yielded maximum points.