Craig Insley heads the ball with Jimmy Wykes to his left. Picture by Robin Crossley.
FOOTBALLCowes Sports 6, Hythe and Dibden 0
AFTER most of the IW football programme had been obliterated by the cold weather, Cowes Sports more than made up for the lack of action with a brilliant performance at Westwood Park on Saturday.
The small crowd which braved the sub-zero temperatures were treated to six goals — all of them thoroughly deserved against a Hythe side who looked as if they had not long left the comfort of their beds.
The Yachtsmen had the perfect start, starting strongly, and then opening the scoring in the third minute, Jimmy WYKES poking home from a few yards out after good build-up from the left.
This settled Cowes nicely and they controlled the game throughout, Dave Thurman barely having to make a save in the opening half hour as Aidan Bryan and player of the month for January, Patrick Wilson, patrolled the defence.
At the other end, Dominic Burbidge, Darren Williams and Wykes were causing havoc, and with 25 minutes gone they doubled their lead.
The goal came when BURBIDGE made the most of a rebounded shot to walk the ball into the net.
Chance after chance came to Cowes, and they could have been 5-0 up at the break had there been more accurate shots and a desperate goalline clearance just before the break.
They made up for those missed chances in the second half, with clinical finishing and confidence.
BURBIDGE netted his second just four minutes after the restart and, just before the hour mark they made it 4-0, when man of the match WYKES shot at the goalkeeper, who could only parry it off his chest, latched onto the rebound and slotted home.
A minute later, Burbidge almost had his hat-trick but his shot hit the post. All the signs were for a rout.
However, the next goal did not come until the 83rd minute, when Josh APPELL made the most of another goalkeeper error — he came way off his line to try to save from Jason Ince’s shot — to kick into an empty net.
And a minute later, APPELL was on target again, scoring almost straight from the restart.
With their rivals unable to play due to frozen pitches, Cowes made the most of this opportunity and are now within touching distance of the top four, with up to five games in hand.
Cowes Sports: Thurman, Herbert, Bricknell, Bryan, Wilson, Insley, Wykes, Dye, Williams, Burbidge, Appell. Subs: Ince, Draper, Brett, Winchcombe.
Reporter: sport@iwcpmail.co.uk