Scorers : Nick Magee 37  / Lee Wort 30 & 50, Dan Mason 45+1, Dan Miller 49, Alex Sawyer 59

Date : Saturday 14th January 2017 - 3pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue : The Sports Ground

Lymington Town : Ross Casey, Callum Davies, Pearce Farren, Jack Odam, Brad Strickland, Matt Page, Harry Hawkins, Nathan Hurst [c], Lewis Packham, Sam House, Nick Magee.  Subs: Ross Bottomley, Dudley Mason, Tom Man, Rhys Jones

Yellow Card:  ?

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Corey Cherrett, Marv McLean, Luke Dempsey, Dan Miller, Micky Hubbard, Barry Mason [c], Zac Mouland (Jake Hoole 80), Lee Wort (Nick Yeomans 80), Alex Sawyer.  Subs not used: Pete Castle, Kev Brewster, Owen Roundell

Yellow Card:  Lee Wort

Attendance : 82 (25 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Lee Wort

Referee: Niall Clinton  Assistants: Craig Sandoe & Christopher Porter

The Boatmen demonstrated some clinical finishing to win big on the road at Lymington Town.  It has been an unhappy hunting ground in the past for us, but today everything went right.

Team News : Byron Mason was missing through illness, so Barry took the captain's armband. Jamie Bulpitt failed a fitness test, so Alex Sawyer returned in midfield.

A cold, but dry Lymington welcomed Sholing to the Sports Ground, which is currently undergoing rebuilding work to it's clubhouse.  As the old one is being demolished, the changing rooms, bar, toilets and hospitality are housed in converted shipping containers, but credit to Lymington, it seemed to work well.

The game got underway on quite a bobbly pitch with long grass, but it didn't hinder an attacking start by both teams.  Barry Mason fired in a couple of long shots early on, including a 40 yard chipped effort that had to be awkwardly claimed under his crossbar by the keeper.  On 8 minutes, Lymington broke beyond the Sholing back four, the striker went round Gosney, but seemed in two minds as what to do next and his ball into the middle was too deep for his teammate to control.   Lee Wort was looking lively and his run ended when his shot deflected off a Lymo defender and looped inches wide.

On 19 minutes, a glorious chance was missed by Dan Mason as Hubbard found him with a cross, but Dan directed his free header over the bar.  5 minutes later and Lymington once again broke free, but Gosney got a strong hand to the shot and Corey Cherrett was able to mop up. Sholing took the lead on the half hour.  Micky Hubbard sent in a freekick from the left into the box, it got flicked on and fell to the feet of LEE WORT 6 yards out and he prodded it past Ross Casey.

Lymington were soon level with a very well taken individual goal.  Nick Magee controlled a dropping ball on the edge of the area, made space for himself and fired in a well struck angled shot past Gosney.   Sholing went back on the offensive and in first half added time, got a crucial second to go into the break in front.  Lee Wort won possession outside the box, the home side appealed for a foul, but the ref waved play on. Wort fed the ball into the box for DAN MASON, who with his back to goal, swivelled and shot across the keeper into the far corner for his 31st goal of the season.  HT 1-2

Incredibly, early in the second half, Sholing scored three goals within 10 minutes of each other to put the game to bed by the 59th minute.  It all started on 49 minutes when another quality delivery from a freekick by Micky Hubbard saw Casey flap at the ball, miss it and DAN MILLER was arriving at the far post to nod over the line.

Only 60 seconds later and it was four for the Boatmen as a ball through the middle, found LEE WORT in the box, he held off the defender and lifted the ball over the diving Casey and it just had enough momentum to beat the backtracking defender over the line. 

It was game over on 59 minutes as Sholing scored an excellent goal.  Barry Mason charged down the right wing, used his strength to get past the fullback and crossed into the area for Lee Wort.  He set a the ball back for the arriving ALEX SAWYER who from the edge of the box, hit a first-time sidefooted effort inside the post.

Sawyer went close to grabbing another 10 minutes later, but his well struck shot from 20 yards was pushed wide by a full length save by Casey.  Lee Wort was hunting a hat-trick and almost got it when he attempted a left foot volley on the turn, but the ball just cleared the bar.   Lymington kept going to the end, having a couple of long range efforts go narrowly wide, but Sholing set themselves up for a big week of fixtures with an impressive win.  FT 1-5

Today's win was dedicated to Sholing supporter, Tony Court, who sadly passed away on Friday.  RIP Tony.

Dave Diaper said after the match : After a difficult and devastating couple of weeks for everyone involved with the Club where we have lost loved ones, we got back to football at Lymington. We always struggle to get a result at Lymo and don't let the score of 1-5 fool you, we had to dig in and really work hard to get that result. We scored the second goal at a crucial time on the stroke of half time. Good finishing and an assist from the ref for the 3rd goal proved decisive, but it never had the proper feeling of a 5-1er.

What impressed me more about our performance was the way we put a couple of Lymo players on the seat of their pants (within the rules of the game!) and it was good to see a Proper Game where the art of Tackling and Men being Men was allowed to happen. The Ref let the game flow, well done Niall Clinton.

It is a sad thing that the modern game has turned its back on the Art of Tackling where men were men and where you could "Give it Some" but also be prepared to "Take Some" because there was no better feeling in a match than winning a 50/50 or in some cases a 60/40. We now March on to Tuesday at Home to Winchester in the Hampshire Cup.

Next Home Game : Sholing v Winchester City (Hampshire Cup Quarter Final) - Tuesday 17th Jan 7:45pm

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

• Miller makes a dignified entrance Miller makes a dignified entrance
• Bench Bench
• Lee Wort scores Lee Wort scores
• Big hug Big hug
• Dan Mason scores Sholing's 2nd Dan Mason scores Sholing's 2nd
• Dan Miller scores Dan Miller scores
• Congrats for the big man Congrats for the big man
• Sawyer strokes home our 5th goal Sawyer strokes home our 5th goal
•  

Scorer : Mark Ford 15, 90, George Turner 82 / Dan Mason 44

Date : Saturday 28th January 2017 - 3pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue : The County Ground

Hamworthy United: Tommy Scott, Dan O'Sullivan, Max Brimson [c], Ed Modge, Billy Walker, Sam Clarke, Nick Swann, Connor Phillips, Steve Smith, Mark Ford, Edgar Zanin.  Subs: Brandon Randall, George Turner, Dan Pidgeley

Yellow Card:

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Corey Cherrett, Pete Castle, Luke Dempsey, Micky Hubbard (Alex Sawyer 83), Zac Mouland (Nick Yeomans 88), Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jamie Bulpitt.  Subs not used : Barry Mason, Dan Miller, Jamie Bray

Red Card : TJ Cuthbertson
Yellow Card:  Lee Wort, Corey Cherrett, Jamie Bulpitt, Micky Hubbard, Byron Mason

Attendance : 72 (approx 15 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Ryan Gosney

Referee: George Kimber-Sweatman  Assistants: Dominic Gregory & Lewis Ward

Sholing dropped further behind the league leaders after a frustrating first visit to Hamworthy's revamped ground.  The 3G pitch was the least of the Boatmen's worries, who had TJ sent off in a game where not a lot went right.

Team News: Pete Castle made his first appearance since October as he replaced Dan Miller who was still nursing a knock. With Marv unavailable, Corey Cherrett switched flanks to left back, allowing TJ to go to right back for his first game back at Sholing.

Was almost a rare feeling of warmth in the sunshine as the game got underway on the artificial surface.  Sholing had the first chance as Dan Mason flicked on a header into the path of Zac Mouland, but his shot from 18 yards was straight at the keeper.  Hamworthy went straight up the other end and a deflection on an angled shot took the ball just wide of the upright.  On 15 minutes the home side were in front.  Dempsey's pass was intercepted in midfield with the ball being quickly fed down the right flank, before a pinpoint cross to the far post found debutant Mark Ford to knock in past Gosney.

Sholing were failing to keep possession, hitting long balls forward that soon skipped off the surface away from our strikers. It was the pattern for much of the rest of the first half, meanwhile, Gosney twice had to be alert to clear balls beyond our back four as the home side remained lively going forward.  On 35 mins a mistake by the Hamworthy keeper almost presented Wort with a chance. Lee lunged to get the ball that had'nt been cleanly gathered, picking up a booking in the process.  Corey was next in the book for a tackle.

It looked as though the home side would go into the break in front, but Sholing grabbed an equaliser a minute before half time.  TJ was able to get to the byline and put over a lovely cross that DAN MASON nodded down and over the line past a couple of bodies.  Game took a while to restart after Brimson was spoken to by the ref for confronting the linesman about a possible offside in the build up. However, he didn't receive a caution.  HT 1-1

Sholing started the second half much better, playing the ball round more on the deck, although there was still frustration as Jamie Bulpitt was next to get a yellow for an innocuous looking challenge.  Boatmen should have scored on 51 mins when Lee Wort fed Zac Mouland into a one-one, but his lifted effort cleared both keeper and the bar.  Dan Mason worked an opening by cutting back onto his right foot, but from 10 yards he fired wide.

Micky Hubbard was next in the book for throwing the ball to the ground after not getting a foul against him.  On 67 minutes Sholing went agonisingly close to going in front. A scramble in the box, saw the ball find Lee Wort 15 yards out, he made space and smashed a shot that cannoned off the underside of the bar and down onto the line in a blur. The linesman made no signal, so the ref waved play on. 

You could sense a growing frustration by Sholing that decisions weren't going their way.  A couple of times Zac Mouland appeared to be pulled back with nothing given. Meanwhile, Dan Mason was pulled up for a shoulder to shoulder challenge with the last Hamworthy defender.   It all boiled over on 77 mins as Sholing wanted a freekick on the half way line, it wasn't given and a 50/50 ball ended up with TJ going in high with a scissors like tackle.  After talking to his linesman and minute or so delay, TJ was given a straight red.  After missing a lot of football recently, a suspension was probably the last thing that TJ wanted right now.

Down to 10 men, Sholing went close to scoring as the keeper came out of his area and Dan Mason was able to stretch out a leg between the defender and lift the ball over the keeper. It looked destined to drop under the bar but incredibly refused to do so, instead landing on the roof of the net.

If that was sickening to the Boatmen, on 82 minutes there was even worse as a hooked ball over the top of Corey freed the Hamworthy player down the right to cross for substitute, George Turner to score in acres of space.  In the last minute the Hammers got a third to give the scoreline a flattering look. A breakaway saw Mark Ford able to skip past Gosney and slot into the empty net.

As frustrating as some of the events of the game had been, the most decisive moments still came from Sholing mistakes and missed chances. Defeat leaves us 15 points behind the leaders, Moneyfields.  FT 3-1.

Next Home Game : Sholing v Alresford Town - Tuesday 7:45pm - Soton Senior Cup Quarter Final

Scorer : Howard Neighbour 55

Date : Tuesday 17th January 2017 - 3pm - Hampshire Senior Cup Quarter Final (Sponsored by BSA Regal)

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Jean-Luc Ramdin, Dan Miller (Owen Roundell 49), Byron Mason [c], Marv McLean, Barry Mason, Micky Hubbard, Alex Sawyer, Zac Mouland (Jake Hoole 72), Dan Mason, Lee Wort. Unused Subs: Jordan Brooks, Kevin Brewster, Pete Castle

Yellow Card:

Winchester City: Lewis Noice, Adam Roberts, Dan King, Dan Smith, Robbie Matthews, Jamie Ford, Joe Briggs, Stuart Green [C], Craig Feeney, Howard Neighbour, Ik Hill (Adam Tomasso 74). Unused Subs: Brendon Norris, Andy Jenkinson, Jack Hannam

Yellow Card: 

Attendance : 127

Man of the Match : Ryan Gosney

Referee: Ben Knight  Assistants: David Cotton & Adrian Cook

An injury to Dan Miller capped of a bad evening for The Boatmen as they lost to Southern League, Winchester City, in the Quarter Final of the Hampshire Cup. Howard Neighbour’s second half header was enough to ensure Dave Diaper’s men will have to look elsewhere for silverware this season, going out of the competition for the 2nd season running to the same team at the same stage.

Team News: With Luke Dempsey & Corey Cherrett both cup tied, changes were enforced. Bryon Mason returned from illness, but slotted into an unfamiliar centre back position. Jean-Luc Ramdin, who has just been selected for the England U18 Schoolboys squad, was drafted in at right back. Jamie Bulpitt ankle injury prevented him playing again and Nick Yeomans had to withdraw with a sickness bug.

Temperatures dropped towards the minuses as the match kicked off following a well-respected minute’s silence for long time Sholing fan Tony Court.

Both sides started slowly and captain, and centre half for the day, Byron Mason showed signs of adapting to his new role with a strong header to quell some early danger.

It was then all about Ryan Gosney, the story for most of the evening. Robbie Matthews was first to be denied when his looping header was well saved, before the goalie showed of his sweeper keeper attributes running out to stop Craig Feeney from bearing down on goal.

Goal machine Dan Mason then showed his keeping qualities, twice producing big, legal, blocks in a matter of seconds when Sholing failed to clear a corner. Dan then made a difference up the other end, glancing on a header to send Zac Mouland away. The striker went on a strong run through the middle, but his shot went inches wide, rippling the sidenetting meaning many spectators thought for a moment, it had gone in. Sadly not.

Jean-Luc Ramdin had been showing off his pace and positioning all evening and then almost inadvertently put Sholing in front. His cross almost looped into the net before Lewis Noice tipped the ball wide. The resulting corner saw Alex Sawyer blast an optimistic shot over.  But all in all, Sholing's passing and hold-up play was letting them down, with the defence under almost constant pressure.

The half ended with Ryan Gosney again centre of attention. Craig Feeney managed to get through on goal but Sholing’s no.1 blocked his hard shot before bravely claiming the ball as the striker looked to pounce on the rebound. HT 0-0

With frost starting to settle on the pitch, the second half started as the first had left off with Ryan Gosney in action, holding a powerful daisy-cutter well. Alex Sawyer then threatened for Sholing with another long distance effort, this time his half volley went a yard wide.

Sholing’s night then took a turn for the worst. Despite working with the physio during the half, the imperious Dan Miller was unable to shake off a back injury. The centre half looked to be enjoying his partnership with Byron but he had to go off, and Owen Roundell was brought on.

It did not take long for Sholing’s new look defence to be breached. Owen Roundell conceded a contentious free kick near the half way line. It was whipped into the box and an unmarked Howard Neighbour fired a bullet header beyond Ryan Gosney, giving the away side the lead with 55 minutes gone.

The Sholing keeper was then quick to ensure Winchester didn’t double their lead and put the tie to bed. Gosney did well to hold an effort from Joe Briggs and minutes later he produced a miracle with a bit of help from Alex Sawyer. Craig Feeney was through on goal and again had his shot saved by Gosney, and when it looked like Neighbour was set to pounce on the rebound, the two Sholing men threw themselves in the way and somehow got the ball out of the danger area. Gosney parried a Joe Briggs shot wide before making a dramatic save with his feet to deny the same player.

It was almost a fairytale end for Sholing’s man of the match when he got the shout from Diapes to go up after Sholing got a flurry of corners. He was right in the thick of things when Mick Hubbard fired in a dangerous corner, but Lewis Noice, did well to clear the ball from under heavy pressure from his opposite number. That was Sholing’s last effort on a disappointing evening. FT 0-1

Match Report Reece Peacham

Next Home Game : Sholing v Moneyfields - Saturday 3pm - Wessex Premier

Scorer : Barry Mason 8, 15, Lee Wort 24  /  Tom Sands 88

Date : Tuesday 31st January 2017 - 8pm - Southampton Senior Cup Quarter Final

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Alex Sawyer, Marv McLean, Luke Dempsey, Dan Miller, Micky Hubbard (Jake Hoole 75), Barry Mason, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason (Nick Yeomans 70), Lee Wort, Jamie Bulpitt (Owen Royl 86).  Unused Subs : Corey Cherrett, Pete Castle

Yellow Card : Jamie Bulpitt, Alex Sawyer

Alresford Town : Dan Kempson, Tom Ashton, Tom Richards, Harry Davies, Rob Flooks, Mark Fletcher, Sam Burt, Aaron Blaxall [c], Tom Sands, Scott Munro, John Cole.  Subs: Jamie Nash, Geoff Dunn, Joao Aldeano, Sam Doswell, Lukas Mcartney

Yellow Card :  Harry Davies

Attendance : 84

Man of the Match : Barry Mason

Referee : Derek Pratt  Assistants : Paul Wicks & Rob Linter

Sholing progressed to the Southampton Senior Cup Semi Finals after blitzing Alresford with a storming first 30 minutes at the Universal Stadium.

Team News: With Kev Brewster away & TJ not registered in time, Dave Diaper had a choice between Alex Sawyer or Corey Cherrett at right back and went for the more experienced, Sawyer. Dan Miller returned in defence and Barry Mason slotted into midfield in place of the unavailable, Zac Mouland.

Huge credit goes to club groundsman, Trevor Diaper, for his hard work in getting the game on and giving us a very decent playing surface, despite a lot of recent rain.  Kick off was delayed for 15 minutes after Alresford had some issues with delivery of their kit.

Sholing came roaring out the blocks, looking to make amends for a couple of disappointing recent results.  The midfield quickly closed down the visitors with the front men working the channels.  It forced a number of mistakes from the visitors and no bigger one than on 8 minutes which helped give Sholing the lead.  An underhit backpass was seized upon by an alert BARRY MASON, he took the ball beyond the keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Alresford responded with a ball through the middle that saw a coming together between Gosney & Burt, with the latter rolling around in the mud appealing for a penalty that the referee wasn't interested in giving. Boatmen continued to knock the ball around at pace and Dan Mason broke free on the right, crossed into the box for the arriving Bulpitt, but he couldn't get a clean connection the ball was easily gathered.

However, on 15 minutes, Jamie Bulpitt made a very clean connection with a 20 yard shot that Kempson parried out to his left. It pinged out to BARRY MASON who controlled well and while holding off a challenge, swept the ball into the bottom corner.

Boatmen were swarming all over the visitors, who were getting a constant earbashing from their visibly irate & animated manager, and got a deserved third goal on 24 minutes. LEE WORT wasn't closed down quick enough and his shot from the edge of the area took a deflection that left the keeper rooted to the spot as it spun into the net.   Sholing could have been out of sight on 40 minutes when a corner by Micky Hubbard broke back to him, he swung it straight back in, almost catching out the keeper who pushed it off the line onto the head of Dan Mason. Unfortunately, Dan had to arch his back to head it back towards goal and it dropped just inches over the crossbar.   Sholing went into the break in total command.  HT 3-0

Five minutes into the second half, Sholing should have had their 4th, but after some chaotic defending by Alresford, the ball broke to Lee Wort 6 yards out, but his left foot effort, somehow, found the side netting instead of the goal.   Alresford started to finally look more like one of the form teams in the area, but a low skimming shot wide was typical of the efforts they would muster on Gosney's goal.

On 63 minutes, Marv Mclean put on the after-burners to get to the byline and crossed for the arrive Hubbard, but his first time volley went straight at the keeper.   Alresford continued to push forward but Dempsey, Miller, Sawyer & Marv were cleaning up most of the attacks as Sholing looked to hit the visitors on the break.  A couple of very close offside calls denied one-on-ones for Wort & Dan Mason, the latter picking up a knock and being replaced on 70 minutes by Nick Yeomans. 

The pitch that had remained remarkably playable, did start to get slippy & heavy as the game entered the last 15 minutes, with some tired legs evident from both sides. Alresford had a cross-cum-shot plonk onto the top of the crossbar before they finally got a consolation goal on 88 minutes.  Substitute Owen Royl was harshy penalised when he appeared to win a header just outside the box.  The freekick was swung in low and Tom Sands nudged it past Gos. 

But it was Sholing who deservedly progress to the Semi Final which will be played on a neutral ground (draw on Monday night).  A very strong & energetic performance from every Sholing player, make it a very hard job to pick a man of the match, but Barry edged it.  FT 3-1

Next Home Game : Sholing v Hamble Club - Tuesday 7th Feb 7:45pm - Wessex Cup