Match report: Wessex League action as Ringwood Town FC beat Ash United 2-1, Totton & Eing FC draw 0-0 with Newport IoW FC, and Brockenhurst FC lose 2-1 to Cowes Sports

Three local sides featured in midweek action on Tuesday night, with Ringwood Town beating Ash United, Totton & Eling drawing with Newport, and Brockenhurst losing to Cowes Sports.

In the Wessex League Division One, Ringwood Town sealed a narrow 2-1 away win over Ash United, continuing their recent good form and inching closer to the promotion play-off places, while hosts Totton & Eling held for a goalless stalemate against Newport.

The only Wessex League Premier side to feature was Brockenhurst, whose struggles continued with a fourth straight defeat, a 2-1 loss at home at the hands of mid-table side Cowes Sports.

Fran Mathers’ Ringwood side made it three games unbeaten with a deserved 2-1 victory over Ash United, with a goal in each half.

With about 15 minutes played, Josh Ridland scored his fourth goal of the season, firing past Aaron Bufton before Ringwood’s top-scorer, Lee Vint, doubled the lead.

The hosts pulled one back when Chris Farmiloe added his name to the scoresheet, making for a slightly nervous finish, but the New Forest side held on.

Totton & Eling were half of a finely balanced contest, with visitors Newport having have a late goal disallowed for offside, but a point was a fair reflection.

The Millers made a brilliant start, with a highlight being a well-worked move that culminated with Adam Woodcock firing the ball against the crossbar with just two minutes played, but chances were at a premium from then on out.

Brockenhurst were the better team in the opening and closing stages against Cowes Sports, but the visitors struck twice to seal a deserved 2-1 victory.

The opening goal came after just six minutes when the man of the match, Harry Bunce, had stayed high up the pitch. A decent ball into him allowed the silky midfielder to cut inside into the box and place a wicked shot into the bottom right corner.

The hosts were the better side for most of the opening half an hour, but once Cowes Sports scored, the momentum flipped. The leveller was a scrappy goal, with multiple attempts at goal from a corner before Jordi Valero parried a shot to Jared Tout-Walters, who had the simple task of tapping the ball home.

The Badgers should have regained the lead from a corner of their own, but Andry Demira nodded over while unmarked.

Then came the dagger blow in the 69th minute. Yet another corner delivery led to Tout-Walters, at the back post, heading home uncontested to make it 2-1.

Bunce still had to earn himself 10 minutes in the sin bin before the hosts laid siege to the Cowes Sports goal, pinning the visitors back while searching for an equaliser. However, the final whistle arrived, and Cowes took all three points.