East Cowes Victoria - Beatrice Avenue

East Cowes Victoria AFC

Beatrice Ave

East Cowes

Isle Of Wight

PO32 6PA

Official Website

Wessex League Page

Twitter

Ground Number: 1219
Saturday 9th August 2023
East Cowes Victoria 3-1 Clanfield
Wessex D1

EAST COWES VICTORIA FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1885, taking the Victoria part of the name as their Beatrice Avenue ground is in an area owned by Osborne House, one of the homes of Queen Victoria. They were founder members of the Isle of Wight League in 1898 and won the league in its inaugural season. They retained the league title the following season and went on to win the league again in 1931, 1935 and 1936. Following the end of World War II, East Cowes moved up to the Hampshire League. They were Division Two runners-up in 1949, 1950 & 1952, before finishing as champions in 1953. They'd spend a couple of tricky seasons in Division 1 before being relegated back. Worse was to follow when in the following seasons, they would become a yo-yo team between Divisions 2 & 3. Spells in Division 1 tended to be short-lived but they finally won the title in 1986 & 1987. Following the second title, they joined the Wessex League. During their first spell in what was then a single-tier league, their best finish was 8th in 1989. East Cowes Victoria were relegated back to the Hampshire League in 2000 and would spend four years here until they were invited to join the Wessex League's newly established second tier. They remain there, their best finish of 4th coming in 2011.

The club has participated in the FA Cup nine times. Their furthest progress has been the 2nd Qualifying Round twice in the second half of the 1940s. Their most recent win came in 2012 when they beat Verwood Town 3-2 before a 4-0 defeat at Sholing in the Preliminary Round. In the FA Vase, they have two 2nd Round appearances to their name. Local cup honours include the Wessex League Cup in 1988, the Isle Of Wight Jubilee Cup in 1950, the Isle of Wight Senior Gold Cup eight times, the Isle of Wight Challenge Cup 13 times, the Isle Of Wight Charity Cup twice and the Isle of Wight Memorial Cup on six occasions.  The Isle Of Wight Senior Gold Cup is reported to be the most valuable football trophy in the world being made of solid gold. The only drawback is that if you win the Gold Cup you can’t keep it! Most clubs insure it for the annual presentation night and then return it to the bank.

East Cowes is a town in the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina, next to its west bank neighbour Cowes. The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry operated by the Isle of Wight Council. The population of the area is around 7,000. The name Estcowe (East Cowes) originally comes from one of two sandbanks on each side of the River Medina estuary, so-called after a supposed likeness to cows. East Cowes is the site of Norris Castle, and Osborne House, the former summer residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Another famous former resident is Lord Mountbatten.

MY VISIT

This groundhop was decided around a week before the game. I was originally meant to be going to Wycombe Wanderers v Cambridge United on this date but it was postponed due to international call-ups. I was disappointed as I had earmarked this as a Wycombe game to attend. I'd missed the previous home game to go to Mulbarton Wanderers and would be missing the next one for a weekend in Newcastle. That left an uncomfortably long gap between games attended, but whatever, I decided to make the best of the situation. Colin had suggested East Cowes Victoria as an alternative when I had given him a lift to Launton Sports on Tuesday, the day the Wycombe game was pulled. I was interested and after further investigation, it seemed a decent shout. Going together meant that we could get a return ferry for £12.30. My research and Colin's Disabled Railcard also got us a good deal on the trains, just £11 London - Southampton return, all booked the previous Friday.

It was a busy but local week for me. Firstly on Tuesday, I made a visit to Holmer Green for their game against Langley. This was around a 20-minute walk from home and is my closest club. Holmer have been struggling a bit lately and were bottom of the Combined Counties D1. They deserved to be beaten on the night, but not as emphatically as the 4-0 scoreline suggested. Braintree-based hopper Dan came over for the game and it was good to catch up.  The magic of the FA Cup and a fiver entry tempted me to Flackwell Heath on Wednesday as they hosted Farnham Town. The original game had been abandoned due to a Flackwell Heath player suffering breathing difficulties. Luckily it all ended as well as it could. As a goodwill gesture, entry was £5 with all gate receipts donated to a heart and lung charity. Farnham had the better of the first half and despite Flackwell taking the lead with a close-range finish, two well-taken Farnham goals saw them lead 2-1 at halftime. That was the scoreline when the original tie was abandoned and the visitors certainly looked a slick and impressive outfit. Flackwell gave it a good go in the second half but lacked the cutting edge. There were no further goals in what was a pretty compelling watch for the 451 in attendance. It looked more than that and the streets around the ground were very busy.

Then after a busy 9-hour day at work, I was back up at Holmer Green for the FA Youth Cup game against Chalfont St Peter. Admission at £6 was steep and a quid more than the proper thing a day earlier. Should the charge be a regular thing for league games, I don't think I'll bother as often as last season it was only £4 and I was happy to pay that to chip in at my local side. It was a tie between two sides who had finished bottom of their respective divisions last season. Chalfont had a man sent off for a professional foul after just 6 minutes. It was a healthy attendance, around 100 with Holmer having a goal ruled out for offside after 12 minutes. They eventually took the lead with a deflected own goal on 35 minutes, this after Chalfont had a few chances of their own, albeit not really troubling the keeper. It turned out to be a pretty even first half. Chalfont were awarded a penalty for a trip on 48 minutes but the tame effort was well saved. The visitors' best effort so far five minutes later bought about the classic shit/shot typo from their very informative Twitter account. The Chalfont equaliser came on 74 minutes. Freddy Plant who had played excellently since his unlucky own goal set up Nathan Long who finished from close range. The visitors were the better side in the end but they were undone by a goal on the break in injury time after a lengthy stoppage. A super save from Holmer's diminutive keeper prevented an equaliser from a free kick. Overall, a decent night of football.

 

I had intended to go to Uxbridge v Sevenoaks Town at Slough on Friday. But an engine warning light on the courtesy car I had and a busy schedule previously made me give it a miss. Instead, I had a few pints and made plans for the future, including this trip. I had emailed and messaged a pub on the Isle Of Wight, plus Red Funnel Ferries to make enquiries about the trip. However, both were too lazy and ignorant to reply. The Uxbridge game stayed 0-0 into injury time in added time, the hosts took the lead before Sevenoaks struck back to win 2-1. It was a restless night's sleep and I only got a few hours in before my alarm went off at 6.30. 25 minutes later, I rushed out of the door and met Colin at the station at 7.10. We were there in plenty of time for our 7.22 train out of Amersham. It was lovely and quiet at that time, right up until we got into Central London. It

then got gradually busier. Our 08.35 train to Southampton was on time and large, however, only four of the twelve carriages went to Southampton. This meant everything was very full but at least the people were fairly decent at first.

I was going to download a 1989/90 version of Championship Manager 01/02 to play but lack of space and an iffy connection through the random places we travelled through meant I didn't bother. The clientele went downhill around Crawley when some revolting woman with a cough, cold and smelly food sat next to me. Working in retail makes you despise the public, at least in my case. Thankfully, the creature got off at Chichester along with a load of others so there was more space. We were finally at Southampton at 11.03 and were in the Giddy Bridge Wetherspoons twenty minutes later. It was not as good as the Standing Order one we did last year, nowhere near. But a tick is a tick and this was my 272nd Spoons. As lunch was not yet being served, I had a drink. Stowf Press was dull, but it was only £2.33 a pint. Soon after, food service started and I had myself a large mixed grill and a bottle of Aspalls. The drinks service was very quick indeed, little over a minute. Food was decent too and we left at 12.20. From there, it was half an hour via Lidl where I stocked up. Just over £12 each return was decent value and it was a pleasant crossing. Despite them saying 20 minutes delay, it was just 4 minutes so we were pretty much on schedule. We were in East Cowes at 2.10 and after a couple of stops and a strenuous walk, we were at the ground at 2.45. Sweating like a Prince whose Pizza Express voucher is close to expiry, I paid £6 to get in and did a lap before settling on the far side. 

East Cowes Victoria were in 7th place whilst Clanfield were second bottom. The hosts had recorded league wins over Millbrook (2-1), Verwood Town (1-0) and at Ringwood Town (3-1). They'd drawn 1-1 against Romsey and lost 2-1 at Downton. The visitors had gained their only point in their last game, drawing 1-1 against Newport. They'd previously lost 3-1 to Verwood Town, 3-0 to Downton, 2-1 to Ringwood Town and 2-1 at Fawley. The game was end to end, Clanfield seizing on some slack defending to slot into the bottom left-hand corner on 18 minutes. The goal was credited to Fred Penfold. The game continued in the same vein. In first-half injury time, Josh Neale shot home on the turn to equalise for East Cowes. Ji Nash put the hosts ahead on 62 minutes, a brilliant through ball found him and it was a routine finish past the keeper. Clanfield did not look like the struggles that their results suggested. They had shots scrambled clear near the end but just lacked a cutting edge. East Cowes made the game safe deep into added time. It was a scrappy effort, only just crossing the line.

That was it then, a tad harsh on Clanfield, but East Cowes had edged it. They gifted Colin a pin badge which made him happy. We beat a hasty retreat, hoping to catch the 5.30 ferry back. We made it with five minutes to go, the staff being super helpful in getting us on. They had been first class despite the company not being the most reliable. It was still a scorcher, so I got a fridge magnet and an energy drink to cool down. With Newport IOW sharing here, that is all t, headed he pyramid grounds on the island completed for me. However, a cider mill in Ventnor makes me want to visit there and there are a number of teams with good grounds such as Brading Town. We got to Southampton and via Tesco, headed straight for the train. We got the 19:13 train rather than the booked 20:13. As well as his passport to the life of Riley, we were hoping that Colin's disabled railcard would provide us with an excuse to take the earlier train. Otherwise, we would just plead ignorance and say the bloke at the station said it was fine. We were due to get back to London at 9.45 and Amersham around 11. Unlike my lucky friend, I had work in the morning but a 2 Litee bottle of cider was gonna be cracked open once I got in. Until that time, a bottle of Irn Bru perked me up. 

THE GROUND

BEATRICE AVENUE is a decent setup for the level. Around half an hour from the port, it has good food and drink facilities, especially the former. Limited merchandise is available but there is plenty of parking. As for the ground, all the cover is on one side, a seated stand holding around 100 and standing areas holding a little more. The rest of the ground is open, though there are a few seats on the far side. Overall, well worth the

Okehampton Argyle - Simmons Park

Okehampton Argyle FC

Simmons Park

Courtenay Road

Okehampton 

Devon

EX20 1DS

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 1218
Saturday 2nd September 2023
Okehampton Argyle 1-3 Highworth Town
FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round

OKEHAMPTON ARGYLE FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was formed in 1926 by a group of railway workers in Okehampton. In 1929, the club joined the West Devon League before joining the Exeter and District League three years later. This was subsequently renamed the Devon & Exeter League and Okehampton Argyle would spend all but three years in this league up until 2007. They'd spent three seasons struggling in the South Western League between 1993 and 1997 but in 2007 they joined its modern-day equivalent, the South West Peninsula League, as founder members of Division 1 East. They lasted nine seasons here, briefly switching to the West Division for a year. Their best finish during this time was two eighth places. The 2015/16 campaign was not a happy one. They failed to win a game all season, ending on a single point after they had three deducted. Relegation meant a spell back in the Devon & Exeter League and a single season in the Devon League, the latter where they had a great record during the pandemic-interrupted seasons. In 2021, they rejoined the South West Peninsula League, finishing 3rd in their debut season before finishing as runners-up last season. This put right the previous season where they missed out on goal difference.

The club made their debut in both FA competitions this season. In the FA Vase, it was a giant-killing as they won 3-0 at higher-tier Wellington of the Western League Premier Division. Local cup wins include the Walter C Parson Cup in 2023 when they beat Liskeard Athletic 4-1 at Launceston. The town of Okehampton is in west Devon and has a population of just under 6,000. It is 21 miles west of Exeter, 26 miles north of Plymouth and 24 miles south of Barnstaple. Rugby and table tennis is also played in the town. Like many towns in the West Country, Okehampton grew on the medieval wool trade. Notable buildings in the town include the 15th-century chapel of St. James and Okehampton Castle and the 17th-century Okehampton Town Hall.

MY VISIT

This season I have done a game in both of the FA Cup Preliminary Rounds so far, five games in all. This was one short of what I'd done during last season although they'd mainly been local revisits. That's the problem when the majority of my 1,217 grounds are at step 5 and above, the only teams that get entered in the FA Cup. They were all far away grounds too and would involve substantial trips, such as my only new ground in the competition this season at Mulbarton. This was most certainly the case in this round with Eastbourne United vs. Epsom & Ewell. I had seen Epsom in a previous round and it had been a poor game. It was also not the most attractive game being two teams from the same step. Throw in the complications of yet another train strike meant that I'd have to go from Amersham and make the best of the limited service on offer.

The tie of the round, at least in my opinion, was step 6 side Okehampton Argyle (the only step 6 side in the competition) against step 5 side Highworth Town. The visitors had been in step 4 last season but were relegated last season. They'd finished third-bottom and were involved in the inter-step playoffs where they lost 4-1 to Malvern Town who had finished second to Cribbs in last season's Hellenic Premier. Certainly, it was a real banana skin in terms of an FA Cup upset. Since I had last seen them in 2015, Highworth had turned from a mid-table Hellenic Premier outfit to a few seasons later being promoted to the Southern League's step 4 divisions where they had spent five seasons. More importantly, they were around a third of the way down to Okehampton meaning that I could save myself money with the £15 coach fare and relax and enjoy the day. The club had been friendly and helpful when I tried to book and I secured my place fairly easily.

I'd taken the rest of the week off after a busy weekend and Bank Holiday. This was mainly due to the lack of options more than anything. In other news, I'd finally managed to book my car in repair via the insurers after someone had smashed into it and driven off without exchanging details. Fellow hopper Colin had suffered at the hands of the degenerate pond life that makes up a chunk of the UK population. Having gone to Wokingham and Embrook, he arrived back at Chalfont and Latimer station to find that his bike had been stolen despite being locked up. The police had been about as helpful in his case as they were in mine, i.e. totally disinterested and an asset to the criminal fraternity. Elsewhere, it was a fairly tolerable week at work and I had a quiet Friday evening and a reasonably early night.

I was quite sleepy when I awoke when my alarm went off at 6.20 the next morning. I didn't have much time to play with but after getting ready, I left at 6.50. A chocolate muffin and some Irn-Bru was an unconventional breakfast. It was a pleasant and quiet journey and I arrived in the town of Highworth around 8.10. It was a small and quiet place but pretty nice. I was given a warm and friendly welcome by Derek at the club and met a few other great people. Whilst I waited in their clubhouse I ordered train tickets for next weeks trip to East Cowes Victoria. Thanks to Colin's disabled railcard, I was able to secure us both a return from London to Southampton for less than £11 each compared to the disgraceful £33.10 we paid on the day last year, even with railcard discount. The coach soon arrived, a few minutes walk away due to the narrow road that Highworth's ground was on. The players boarded, complete with the obligatory case of Budweiser and large Bluetooth speaker that seems to be part of every football team coach. This was the 13th time I'd travelled on such a coach and always found it a decent way to do things. The camaraderie, great value and early arrival for pubs were the best points, the only drawback was the wait after. There was a stop on the way at the Harvester in Taunton for the players, and anyone else that wanted to, to have breakfast. I wasn't peckish myself, so waited until 11 to have a pint of Stowford Press. It quenched my thirst and gave me an excuse to sit somewhere comfortable and use my laptop.

I got chatting to a friendly player who played military football and also knew the former Wycombe midfielder, Dominic Gape. All told, the Highworth people were super friendly and made me feel very welcome. Despite my liking for a giant-killing, I'd be hoping they won today and certainly considering the game as an option on Tuesday, should it go to a replay. We left around 11.40 with just over an hour to go until Okehampton. We arrived at 12.50, with me heading off to town to find the Wetherspoons. It was just six minutes away and was one of the best in the chain. The White Hart Hotel had seven bag-in-box ciders and plenty of space. I opted for a pint of Sandford Orchards Hangy Downs, a new tick for me.  From the table, I ordered Chicken Jalfrezi and chips with a pint of Black Dragon for £10.48. I'd not seen that at the bar and so it would be interesting to see what turned up, if anything at all. They must have had it somewhere as it turned up, lovely and chilled. Ever was as marvellous as you could expect for the price paid and it got a rare 10/10 on my spreadsheet for only the second time in 271 pubs - the greatest being Tiverton with a huge fridge of bottled ciders. The third and final order was a pint of Hunts Wobbler and a warm cookie dough sandwich with ice cream. And there ended my drinking until I got back with the Wobbler especially decent. McColls had closed, obviously not wishing for a New England. Instead, Co Op secured me a 2  litre bottle of Irn Bru Extra. From there to the ground, an excellent value £6.50 with a glossy programme and a nice atmosphere.

 Okehampton Argyle were making their debut in the FA Cup this season. They had started with a 2-2 home draw against Brixham in front of 483 fans. In the replay, 204 saw them secure an extra time 2-0 win away from home. It was then a 1-1 draw at Buckland Athletic in front of 307 supporters. They then won 2-1 in the home replay, both games represented victories over higher-tier clubs. In the league, Okehampton had played one game, losing 4-2 to Teignmouth. Highworth Town had won 4-1 at Brincombe & Thrupp in a game that was rearranged to midweek due to a rain deluge. Even so, 171 fans turned up. In the Preliminary Round, they won 3-0 at Nailsea and Tickenham before being sent on the road once more. Highworth Town's best progress so far in the FA Cup came in 2003. That year, they reached the 3rd Qualifying Round before losing 2-0 at Lymington & New Milton. Highworth Town were doing well in the Hellenic Premier, sitting 7th. So far in the league they had beaten Mangotsfield United 2-1, won 3-1 at Fairford Town and 1-0 against Royal Wooton Bassett Town. They'd also won 4-2 at Sandhurst Town in the FA Vase. A 0-0 draw had been shared at Slimbridge and they'd endured a 3-0 defeat at Corsham.

It was a busy first half, Okehampton on top but with not much threat. Highworth played well on the break. Steve Robertson put them ahead on 43 minutes and despite a rally from Okehampton, it stayed that way until halftime. It was 2-0 just before the hour, a well-taken goal by a Connor Mattimore who followed up a goalkeeper parry. Okehampton were still having chances though, they were not exiting the FA Cup without a fight. However, a free kick from the right, curled in and a header from Matt Cheetham made it 3-0. Okehampton deserved a goal but a solid performance from the Highworth keeper looked set to deny them. Okehampton finally got the goal they deserved in injury time, a shot from around 15 yards blasted into the roof of the net by Luke Mortimer.

It had been a fairly routine win for Highworth but Okehampton battled well and belied their step 6 status. Had the visiting keeper not made a couple of great saves, it may have been a different story. I followed the other Highworth officials where I was bought a drink in the bar. They'd been brilliant company and deserved a good draw in the next round. Unless it was Mousehole provided me with another great opportunity to travel with them of course. A much delayed departure saw us leave at 6.55, a lot of it do do with the fact that the coach was parked a fair while away. Then there was a stop at a local shop which meant we didn't get going until well gone 7. It would mean an arrival around 9.45 back in Highworth which was pretty decent going.

THE GROUND

SIMMONS PARK is a very basic setup, there is just the one covered stand that has been converted to bench seating to comply with regulations. The rest of the ground is open and includes basic bar and food facilities, the latter via a barbecue. Further afield is another bar, the town and a decent amount of parking.