A bumper crowd packed out Beatrice Avenue for one of the most anticipated Isle of Wight football matches this season, with East Cowes Vics taking on Newport in the Boxing Day derby.

Both sides went into the game with 35 points in Division One, knowing that the winner would finish the year in a play-off position.

East Cowes Vics 2-0 Newport

The first ten minutes of the match were a back-and-forth affair, with a couple of big challenges setting the precedent for the rest of the game.

Vics had the first big chance of the match, with a charging run by Toby Snow resulting in a low, fizzing cross into the box, which bypassed Port keeper Leon Pitman and just evaded the back post slide of attacker Scott Jones.

East Cowes Vics taking on Newport in the Boxing Day derby (Image: IWCP) The home team dictated the play for most of the first half, with Port struggling to find a way out of their half.

In the 24th, a long ball forward by Vics number one Alex Ram was flicked on by a Port head, sending through Josh Neale, who was brought down by Henry West, who received a yellow.

The resulting free-kick was taken by Neale, who watched as his long-range effort sailed over the bar.

Port's big chance came a couple of minutes later when Joe Craig played through Kai Grace after a pinball in the middle, with the resulting shot flashing across the goal.

On the half-hour mark, a corner whipped into the Port box was won by Vics skipper Liam Newbold and cleared off the line into the path of Elliott WHEELER, whose overhead kick flew into the net to open the scoring.

Vics wall setup for a Newport free-kick (Image: IWCP)

Port, in their search for an equaliser, slowly started to take control late in the first half.

A few minutes from time, a long ball by Pitman was flicked on again to Grace, straight through the Vics defensive line, but his shot was blasted into the side netting.

As the half time whistle was blown, it was amazing that only one yellow had been brandished, though the ref had been busy handing out warnings.

The second half lacked the same quality as the first, with intricate play thrown out of the window in favour of long balls forward for both sides – nothing troubling either keeper early on.

Vics had a chance to double their lead on the hour mark after Jones played through Jacob Reynolds in the middle, but Pitman managed to spread himself to make a brilliant stop.

Pitman was unable to stop REYNOLDS eight minutes later, however, as the ball found the midfielder in the box, unmarked and unchallenged, smashing the ball home, leaving the Port keeper furious with his defence.

Newport's Joe Craig and Vics skipper Liam Newbold shake hands after the game (Image: IWCP) The next big chance came in the 80th minute, seemingly from nowhere.

Port’s Michael Thompsett was caught out on the edge of his own penalty area by the hunting Jones, but Pitman spread himself again, getting a crucial touch to stop a third.

Two minutes later, Jones had the ball in the back of the net after pinching it off Pitman in front of his goal, but the game was brought back for a foul.

After considerable stoppages due to a few knocks requiring treatment throughout the second half, Vics officially brought Newport’s 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions to an end.

Attendance: 658