Visiting close friends and Flirty their dog, on the Isle of Wight, gave me the chance to watch a Wessex League (Premier Division) fixture between Cowes Sports FC and Andover New Street FC. The fixture was delayed to a 3.30 pm kick off because of delays to the ferry bringing the visitors to the Island.

The Zilch Waste Stadium at Westwood Park has been the home of Cowes Sports FC since 1912. The ground holds 2000 fans with covered seating for 500. The ground also boasts a decent grass surface and nice facilities with a bar, clubhouse and refreshment stand.

Cowes Sports FC have made a disappointing start to the season with just two points from their opening six matches. On Wednesday evening Cowes lost 2-3 away at New Milton FC of Division 1 in the Wessex league cup, sacrificing an early two goal lead. Defensive weaknesses have been the curse of the season so far and manager Max Draper will have been keen coming into today’s game to secure a first league win. Goals this season in the league, have come from Liam Triggs (2 goals), Scott Mcfarlane, John McKie, Jake Wright and William Bridi (All 1 goal).

Andover New Street FC by contrast, have made an excellent unbeaten start to the season, with two wins and two draws from four matches, which has left them comfortably in sixth place. Goals have been relatively scarce with Callum Sweeney (2 goals), Lewis Williams, Josh Moore and Claudio Herbert (All 1 goal), scoring the 5 goals so far, but it has been the excellent defensive record (just two goals conceded) that has underpinned their success. Manager Jamie Coleman would have been hopeful that “the Street” could steal away from the Island with all three points today.

The game started evenly with neither side really gaining momentum to score in the opening 25 minutes. An early injury to Callum Chase in the Cowes Sports defence, caused a little pressure and disruption but right-back Jared Tout-Walters threw himself into chasing and making aerial challenges which covered for the absence of Chase.

Then on 27 minutes the deadlock was finally broken when Cameron Thatcher scored from close range after some intricate passing play in the final third by Andover New Street FC.

On the stroke of half time the visitors were two ahead when Lewis Williams scored after a mazy run to make it 0-2 at the break.

The second half was a much more evenly fought encounter. Cowes Sports FC put some good moves together, with one great cross field pass being executed by Scott Mcfarlane. Despite this neither the home side not the away team could make any inroads as the effects of the heavy rain made the pitch slippy and began to effect tackling.

In the last ten minutes the game stepped up another level. Andover New Street’s Kimron Quashie earned a second yellow card, which led to his dismissal. This spurred on the remaining ten men and Lewis Williams managed to pick up on a defensive error to slot home his second of the game, making the fulltime score 0-3.

Both sides walked away today having put their all into the game, on a surface which the torrential rain made very tricky. Cowes Sports looked better than their league start suggests but will want to secure their opening win soon to kick start the season.