A bumper crowd packed into a blustery and cold Westwood Park this afternoon (Saturday) to witness Cowes Sports carry out a festive thrashing of Fareham Town. 

A minute's silence was held before kick-off to remember Roy Denham, a friend of Cowes Sports, who sadly lost his battle with cancer recently. The club says he will be sorely missed.

The Yachtsmen got off to a fantastic start, making it 1-0 in the first minute after a cross in from the right found midfield maestro Jordan COOK who tapped home.

The next 15 minutes saw a battle played out in the middle of the park, with tackles flying in and hopeful balls lumped forward by both sides.

Cowes refound their rhythm in the 17th, another ball whipped into the box ricocheted around before reaching defender Olly WEST, whose effort found the net via Fareham keeper's head. 

Fareham wasn't completely out of the match yet, as a few good chances followed, the best of which saw West step up for an offside trap, allowing Fareham's Woodward to pass through the defence and through on goal, and, despite loud calls for the offside flag, saw his shot well saved, low by Cowes number one, Ed Hatt.

A few minutes before half time the Yachtsmen made it three.

Connor Kelly travelled down the left flank and pinged the ball, low and hard, into the Fareham box, finding Joe HANCOCK in acres of space for a simple finish.

At the start of the second half, a corner by Kelly, initially halted to allow the ref to retrieve his dropped yellow card, found the head of West, whose powerful header clipped the top of the bar. A tease of what we could expect later in the game.

On the 50-minute mark, a challenge on the halfway line started a brief clash, which included a headbutt by Fareham's Matt Pates, who saw a red card following a lengthy discussion between the ref and linesman. 

A few minutes later, a fantastic volleyed finish by Hancock hit the back of the Fareham net but was chalked off, after it was judged to have taken a nick off a Cowes striker in an offside position on the way through.

The Yachtsmen's search for a fourth continued past the hour mark, despite great intricate play on the edge of Fareham's penalty area leading to a rocket fired by Scott McFarlane, which tested the keeper, who dived well to his right.

Just past the 70-minute mark, Cowes finally made it four.

A corner on the left found McFarlane on the front post, who held up the ball and turned his man, sending a beautiful looped cross into the back stick, met by the head of WEST for his second of the game.

Full time: Cowes Sports 4-0 Fareham Town