Top scorer Tom Vincent nets twice after coming off the bench as Baffins eventually break Cowes’ stubborn Wessex League resistance

Rovers’ top scorer took his seasonal tally to 12 after a Steve Ramsey penalty had opened the scoring in a 3-0 PMC Stadium success last night.

All the goals came in the final 20 minutes as Cowes threatened to keep another clean sheet, following on from a shock 0-0 stalemate at third-placed Bemerton Heath at the weekend.

‘It was decent,’ Rovers boss Danny Thompson told The News. ‘To be fair, Cowes made it difficult for us in the first half. They had a game plan, they stuck 10 men behind the ball and we couldn’t break them down.

‘Once we got the first goal, there was only ever going to be one winner.’

With one eye on this weekend’s visit to lofty Horndean, Thompson made changes to the starting XI that had won 3-1 at Portland last Saturday.

He switched to a 3-5-2 formation with Josh Rose - recently signed from Petersfield - coming into a three-strong central defensive unit alongside Ed Sanders and Tyler Giddings.

Charlie Oakwell was restored to central midfield with Kelvin Robinson recalled up front alongside skipper Jason Parish.

‘It was important we built on the Portland win,’ said Thompson, ‘especially with a big game coming up this weekend.

‘Our subs changed the game, they gave us energy.’

Vincent was the first to be introduced, 10 minutes into the second half, in place of Parish. And Everett - ‘different class’ according to his manager - and Harvey Welham came on just after the hour mark.

Baffins ended with four teens on the pitch - goalkeeper Roux Hardcastle plus subs Harvey Welham, Harry Fox and Liam Brewer.

Cowes, who host table-topping AFC Portchester this weekend, have now gone nine league games without a win.

They have also maintained their record of never having bagged even a league point at Baffins – after losing their previous visits 5-0, 4-1, 3-1 and 7-1.