MATCH REPORT - vs Laverstock & Ford

Cowes Sports 4-0 Laverstock & Ford

Date: Saturday 18th January 2025

Location: The Zilch Waste Stadium, Cowes

This would be the 4th time that the Yachtsmen would meet Laverstock & Ford this season having played them 3 times back in August and September, with the results being evenly balanced with a draw, win and loss each time. The 3rd of those games came with a 5-1 win, and the boys were looking to continue that good form against them in front of a jubilant home crowd.

The game started with high energy as Cowes looked to asset themselves as quickly as possible, and after a foul on the right side of the box on McKie, it allowed Phillips to line himself up in a dangerous area, where during his run up, having slipped and seen his striking leg knock the ball accidentally on to his standing leg, the ball still managed to make it’s way into the area where after a failed attempt to clear the ball, it was knocked right in front of Marsek’s feet on the 6 yard box where he smashed it into the back of the net. With Cowes thinking they were 1-0 ahead early doors, the referee went over to speak with his assistant to discuss whether the goal should stand. Sadly, it was not to be, as the slip from Phillips meant he accidentally double kicked the ball which is obviously not allowed during free kick situations. 0-0 the score remained to the relief of Lavvy.

The next great chance for Cowes came in the 12th minute where a well-defended corner allowed the ball to be cleared to Mumford who passed it inside to Cook and first time played it through the defensive players for Mumford to find himself with the ball in the opponents half attacking on the counter. With McKie to his right in space, he opted to pass it and as the ball approached the 18 yard box a first time strike from McKie was sadly too slow to trouble the keeper where he collected it comfortably.

Laverstock nearly found themselves ahead in the game on the 22nd minute where some neat play on their left side saw the winger take the ball towards the goal line, cut back and pass it to his team mate who from the left corner of the 18 yard box whipped the ball over our defenders to the back post where the striker was open to head the ball goalwards and, thankfully, off the bar and over for a goal kick. A warning sign that any points of switching off from the Yachtsmen could be punished!

Cowes finally broke the deadlock after 28 minutes where, unsurprisingly, the momentum which was in their favour paid off. The Lavvy goalkeeper played a short goal kick to his right centre back who under pressure played a stray pass right down the middle which was picked up by Cook who judged the play well. Quickly he passed to his right to an open Browne who calmly played it right once more to an open McKie who with shades of deja vu from the previous miss found himself in the exact same spot, but this time he learned from his earlier error and slotted the ball in the bottom left corner with purpose, 1-0 to the Yachtsmen!

In the 31st minute Cowes thought they had doubled their lead where a reckless challenge from the Lavvy right back allowed Cowes to have another free kick in a dangerous area on the left side of the pitch. A high and long ball delivered by Phillips into the box saw the Lavvy defenders for some reason leave it where a grateful Chase found himself at the back post taps the ball in off the post, but Lavvy could again breathe a sigh of relief as the offside flag was raised, Chase made his run just a touch too early, game stays a 1-0.

Cowes eventually did double their lead after a free kick from Hatt deep in Cowes half towards Browne was missed by him and the defender, where Marsek pounced on the free ball taking it into the area, and after a silly challenge from the Lavvy RB sliding in, takes down Marsek for a clear penalty. McKie having found lots of success from the spot calmly placed the ball down, took a few steps back, and when ready walked towards the ball and passed it firmly to the right sending the keeper the wrong way, NOW it was 2-0 Cowes, and the rest of the half played out with not much action for either team.

The Second half Cowes knew that Lavvy would come out fighting as the next goal could determine the momentum of the game for sure!

The 51st minute saw the next best change for Cowes where Oatley finds himself with the ball at his feet crossing over the halfway line, passing towards Marsek in the middle of the pitch who cleverly plays the ball through the defenders first time for Oatley to pick up after continuing his run. With acres of space and no-one challenging him he takes the ball into the box, towards the goal, but decides to pass it across with hope that one of our players is there to tap it in. The crowd express their disappointment, but in all fairness, it was one of those situations where the CB found himself in a really uncommon situation and giving it to an attacking player was probably not a bad idea.

On the 55th minute, super-sub George Carter-Knight who came on for McKie just before half time, finished a wonderfully created team goal in style. After 20 or so passes of possession for Cowes from defenders, to attackers and back, the ball finds itself at Cooks feet in the middle of the park, where he plays it forwards to Brown with his back to goal and pressure under the CB, a firm first time pass back to Carter-Knight who had drifted inside from the right wing, from 25 yards out takes a beautifully struck shot where the ball travels over the defenders heads, dipping down and into the right side of the goal too far away from the sprawling goalkeeper. This could easily be seen as the goal of the season for Cowes, having started and finished a fine piece of possession without Lavvy having any chance of stopping it!

The rest of the match was all about defending well against Lavvy who still wanted to try and get something out of this match, and maintaining control of the game to allow a clean sheet and dominance of possession.

A few substitutes for Cowes allowed our younger players to get some minutes where Jackman, McFarlane and Tout-Walters all found themselves heavily involved in the game for the last 20 minutes.

The 4th goal of the match, and the last piece of action of the game, came from a well-timed run by Carter-Knight from the centre towards the left of the box was picked out well by an advanced Mumford who under pressure from the Lavvy centre back manages to dink a ball high over the Lavvy defenders and keeper where Tout-Walters steaming in at the back post leaps high and heads the ball into the back of the net, another piece of magic from Carter-Knight allows Cowes to make sure this game is done and dusted in what could easily be claimed as Cowes’ best performance of the season so far.

The final whistle went, and everyone on the pitch and the bench celebrate after what feels like the most deserved and comfortable victory for the Yachtsmen so far.

GOALS:

Cowes Sports: McKie (28’, Pen 42’), Carter-Knight (55’), Tout-Walters (89’)

Laverstock & Ford: N/A

Next Up: Cowes take a trip to Blackfield & Langley where a rejuvinated side find themselves in better form since the new manager stepping in, always a tough scenario to face!