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VIDEO: COWES MILK THE GLORY OF THE GOLD CUP

By Clare Wall - Saturday, May 10, 2008
IW Senior (Gold) Cup, Cowes Sport v East Cowes Vics. (Problems seeing this video? You may need to install Adobe's free Flash player)
Cowes Sports 2, East Cowes Vics 1 (after extra time).
It was hardly an IW Senior (Gold) Cup classic but defending champions Cowes Sports have kept their hands on the most valuable cup in the English FA.
They ground out a win against East Cowes Vics, of the Sydenhams Wessex League, Division One, at Westwood Park last night (Friday), after a match where there were few chances.
Much of the early play was restricted to the midfield, with only a few long balls to try to open play up. The breakthrough came just before half time when East Cowes Vics took the lead with a cracking volley from just outside the box by Nathan Bett.
In the second half the match was more in Cowes' favour as they created far the better chances, and perhaps had a case to feel aggrieved when Tom Scovell looked to be brought down just inside the Vics' box. But with with around ten minutes of regulation time left Cowes found their vital equaliser, courtesy of Craig Insley from close range.
And it took until the second period of extra time, again with around ten minutes left and the prospect of penalties looming, for Premier League Cowes to take a vital lead.
It came in the most demoralising way for Vics' keeper, 17-year-old Olly Fulljames, who fumbled a free kick by Ashley Wright, and the ball went through his legs and into the back of the net.
After the match, Vics' manager could not hide his disappointment.
"We worked so, so hard to ge to where we were, especially in the first half and I thought we deserved our lead at half time," he said. "There was so much belief in the changing room at the break. Then to concede the first goal the way we did, and then the last goal, it was a killer blow.
"I felt so sorry for Olly Fulljames, he has been superb for us through the whole season, and I thought it was unfitting that a goal like that should be the winner.
"He broke down in the changing room afterwards, but he will come back stronger and more determined.
"I haven't seen a changing room full of grown men crying in a long time, but that was how much they cared for it."
Cowes manager Andy Sampson said: "We were pleased to win the game, I thought it was a good game, we knew it wasn't going to be easy from the start. We started brightly and then just sat back. Nathan Bett was given so much room and he scored a screamer of a goal, which was disappointing for us.
"But the lads deserved the win, they worked their legs off all season and it's nice to have a trophy to show for it." 
Cowes Sports: Streeter, Bryan, Samson, Newnham, Insley, Rayner, Smeeton, Scovell, Wright, Evans, Taylor. Subs: Willey, Barsdell, Butler.
East Cowes Vics: Fulljames, O'Connor, Ovnik, Williams, Young, Butt, Ebbs, Bett, Watson, McInnes, Appell. Subs: Fox, Merrick, Katutondua.