Yachtsmen Stay Afloat - Cowes Sports vs. Amesbury Town

Brilliant stand at Westwood Park

As it's getting to the business end of the season, there are a lot of games with a lot riding on them. Also as it's getting down towards the end of the season, I felt like I could do a longer trip as I'd be resigned to gardening in a couple of weeks. To satisfy both there factors I took the ferry over to The Isle of Wight for The Wessex League Premier Division match between Cowes Sports and Amesbury Town. A win for Cowes would guarantee their Premier Division safety, anything less would give Fawley a chance of staying up. Amesbury's Bonneymead Park was one of may favorite grounds I visited last season and I fully recommend going if you haven't already. They had already done enough to secure their Premier Division spot for next season. The only time I'd seen Cowes Sports was back on the mainland at Petersfield Town in Division One. The reverse fixture ended goalless and Cowes were hoping for more today.  

Just before kick off at Westwood Park

The first half is unsurprisingly tense but Cowes have the backing of a decent home crowd. Cowes get a couple of dangerous looking free kicks into the box without finding anyone before a long Amesbury throw causes panic in the box. Then a Cowes corner finds the man in space on the edge of the area but his shot goes over the bar. Amesbury are next to come close as a cross to the near post is flicked just wide of the box.

Cowes look for the opener in the first half

There is a more frantic start to the second half. The Cowes keeper miss controls a back pass and he is grateful as the Amesbury player can only hit the post. Cowes are then played in on goal and the Amesbury keeper is just there first to block the effort. Cowes are now really turning up the pressure. They come desperately close as a header from a cross goes just wide. The vital moment of the game comes midway through the half. A Cowes cross from wide is headed back into the danger zone and the ball is then forced home from close range to the delight of the home side. There is still time for a couple of half chances for Amesbury but Cowes hold out and it is just as well as Fawley score a late winner but it is Cowes who stay up.

Cowes push for the winner in the second half

If you time things right it doesn't take too long to get to Cowes. Fast trains to Southampton from Waterloo take just over an hour and from outside the station you can catch the half hourly shuttle bus to the ferry. The fast ferry takes only twenty minutes and the whole journey can be under two and a half hours. It is worth getting to Cowes to have an explore and there is a lot of maritime heritage to take in. Pub wise, I first visited The Cowes Ale House where I had the tasty Wight Knight from the local Island Brewery. Then there was The Union Inn which had a good selection of beers. Most surprising was The Mess Canteen which had it's own fantastic beer. The ground is then a twenty minute up hill walk. The clubhouse had the usual selection of drinks and the burgers are worth trying. As you can see from the pictures, the main is worth the trip alone.

Decent crowd for the big match