Isle of Wight League Division One
Sandy Lane, Newport
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Attendance: 100 (estimate)
Yet another rail strike restricted my options today, although fortunately for me, my most local rail company, Southern, were unaffected by the action taken by ASLEF train drivers today. I decided to head for the Isle of Wight, which always makes for a really pleasurable day out, for this top of the table clash between the two dominant clubs in the island league.
After a ten minute flight on the hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde Esplanade, I then caught a bus to Newport bus station, and then another bus southwards to Blackwater Junction, with this journey going past the derelict former home ground of Newport IOW, St George's Park, some four years since the ground was vacated. Somewhat surprisingly, all of the stands and the floodlights remain in place, as it awaits the green light for redevelopment.
Sandy Lane is certainly out in the sticks, with about a twenty minute walk along a narrow rural country single track road from a local bus stop, and then up a narrow access lane, which is more akin to entering a farm, before reaching the ground deep in the countryside. Facilities here are above average for the Isle of Wight Saturday League, with a large clubhouse building straddling the half way line, which has changing rooms in the rear half and plenty of lounge chairs to the front, a tea bar hatch offering hot and cold drinks and snacks, and with large windows all the way along the front offering a good, elevated and indoor view of the action, although the view is partly obscured by netting and the roof of a covered seating area below at ground level, with a row of about 30 individual seats inside. There is considerable undulation to the pitch, both lengths and one end are roped off, and the field extends some way behind one length in a triangle formation, which has enabled the grounds to host cricket but on football matchdays is used for parking. The grounds are naturally enclosed by trees, and there is really green, pleasantly rural and peaceful feel to the place, and the clock tower of the former Whitecroft Hospital behind one corner makes for an unusual and attractive sight.
This match would be between the two stand-out teams in the Isle Of Wight Saturday League, so much so that, even in November, today's game could well prove to be a title decider, with both clubs unlikely to drop many, if any, points against the other clubs in the league. And indeed, both clubs have had 100% records so far, apart from a goalless draw between them last month. Whitecroft and Barton lead the table, having won their fourteen games played so far, whereas Shanklin have played two games less. Shanklin are already ten points ahead of third placed Cowes Sports Reserves, having played a game less. Shanklin just pipped Whitecroft & Barton to the title by a point last season, having been victorious in the game between the two clubs in the final week of the season, which brought to an end a run of six consecutive title winning seasons for Whitecroft & Barton.
On an overcast and chilly afternoon, with rain arriving in the second half, this really was a game of two halves. The first half was dominated by the home side, and they would rue being unable to convert at least one of about half a dozen excellent chances to open the scoring. Shanklin really struggled to get a hold on the game, looked shaky at the back, and they were not helped when they were temporarily reduced to ten men after having a player sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes. That wasn't too much of a surprise, as the game certainly had an increasing edge to it, and became increasingly scrappy, which seemed to suit the visitors better.
The second half started off in a similarly scrappy fashion, and it was beginning to look like the two clubs would be playing out their second goalless stalemate. But Shanklin were looking much better in this half, and they took the lead on 64 minutes, when a corner was met with a glancing header y Macauley Watterspn to send the ball past the keeper and into the net. And they doubled their lead on 70 minutes, when the ball was whipped in from the corner flag, taking a deflection into the path of Ji Nash at the back post, who tapped in from close range. And the visitors added some real gloss to the scoreline in the first minute of added on time when the ball was played forward for Finlay Lloyd to run onto clear of the defence, before calmly rounding the keeper, who had come out to the edge of his area, and passing the ball into the empty net. And with the three points sealed today, this really does make the title Shanklin's to lose, as Whitecroft & Barton will have to spend the remainder of the season chasing Shanklin, hoping for a slip up.
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