Seabrook man of match as Shanklin stun W&B to go top

                           WHITECROFT & BARTON 1, SHANKLIN 2

HAS the balance of power in Island League football finally shifted after Shanklin went to fortress W&B and beat them with a gutsy, solid performance.

Both sides went into the game in form, with perfect win records so far this season, so something had to give.

While most people had their money on W&B, who had not lost a league game at home in more than four seasons, Shanklin had other ideas.

Iain Seabrook was a colossus for Shanklin at the back.

Shanklin boss, Paul Haward, went there with a plan — admitting he would have been delighted to come away with a point, but coming away from W&B with all three and describing the result as 'very special'.

But his side had to dig in against a W&B side, not at their best by their high standards, with blues skipper, Iain Seabrook at the heart of it — a calming influence on his young side throughout, who led by example.

Shanklin rode their luck a little and played some decent football at times.

The first half, which finished goalless, was a largely scrappy and cagey affair, with both keepers virtual spectators for the vast majority of it.

Ash Gullver unluckily saw his left footed volley from 20 yards crash back off the bar on 25 minutes, then a superb Jason Smythers piledriver was brilliantly blocked by Keelan Sainsbury in front of his keeper seven minutes later.

It was that sort of commitment that was needed if either side were going to win what was a fascinating, but not classic game.

Charlie Urry almost put the home side in front as the game came to life — his shot across goal well saved by Dan Ward between the Shanklin posts.

Urry almost scored the opener straight after the break when he cut in from the left and saw his curling effort drift inches wide, although Ward may just have had it covered.

But on 50 minutes, Shanklin took the lead from the penalty spot.

Kyle Drew picked the ball up on the edge of the W&B box, but as he went wide trying to round Gareth True, the keeper clumsily hauled him down and up stepped Seabrook to coolly score.

Man of the match, Shanklin skipper Iain Seabrook, celebrates scoring from the spot.

The goal was exactly what the game needed.

W&B boss, Steve Rayner, asked his players to show the opposition what they were made of and responded immediately with an Aidan Sainsbury shot, which flew just wide.

But out of the blue, just as quickly, Shanklin stunned the home side by doubling their advantage in the 52nd minute.

Keelan Sainsbury was caught in possession down in the right corner by Sam Mosely, who crossed low into the box for the unmarked George Carter-Knight to finish clinically.

George Carter-Knight (in blue), scores Shanklin’s all-important second in their 2-1 win at W&B.

Then came a confident period for Shanklin as they searched for a third, with Mosely side-footing weakly at True when found totally unmarked inside the box.

Shanklin were starting to rue that miss as W&B took control for the first time in the game.

George Carter-Knight celebrates his goal which made it 2-0 to Shanklin.

On 69 minutes, substitute Freddie Knowles, forced a decent diving save from Ward, when he cut inside from the right and let fly from 20 yards.

Shanklin heaped unnecessary pressure on themselves when Wayne Newnham gave away a penalty —a rash challenge on Josh Appell two minutes later when the striker was taking the ball away from goal.

Up stepped Joe Rayner to smash it into the top corner and it was suddenly game on.

Joe Rayner's perfect spot kick to half W&B's deficit.

But a series of niggly fouls, injuries requiring treatment and a vital period of possession for Shanklin in W&B's half, ate away vital minutes for the home side, who lost their momentum when it was needed most.

However, with time almost up, W&B rallied again —fighting tooth and nail to try to hold on to their proud home record, with play confined almost exclusively to the Shanklin half.

Just how the home side failed to equalise deep into injury time, only Knowles will know, as his point blank header from a pinpoint cross from the left was somehow saved by Ward and cleared.

Ward may not have made a more important save this season. Only time will tell.

As the referee looked at his watch, Shanklin broke away with Drew, who felt the wrath of his captain after tamely shooting at True, when keeping possession would have been the wiser option.

At the death, into the seventh minute of added on time, or 'Fergie time' as one Shanklin fan called it, all 22 players were camped in the Shanklin box for one final assault.

But the visitors managed to hold their nerve to hang on and record a famous victory.

Whitecroft and Barton Sports: True, Adams, Martin, K.Sainsbury, Ovnik (capt), A.Sainsbury, Gulliver, Ratner, Appell, Evans, Urry. Subs: Knowles, Bilton, Gladdis.

Shanklin: Ward, Scott-Jackson, Smythers, Seabrook (capt), Wright, Fleming, Winterbottom, Newnham, Drew, Carter-Knight, Moseley. Subs: Gregory, Watkins, Brocklehurst.