Scorers :  Barry Mason 35 (pen) 

Date : Wednesday 11th March 2015 - 7:45pm kick off - Hampshire FA Senior Cup Semi Final

Sholing :  Matt Brown, Kevin Brewster, Joe Griggs, TJ Cuthbertson, Dan Miller, Jack Smith (Les Mwenze 88), Marvin McLean, Alex Sawyer, Barry Mason (Dan Mason 70), Byron Mason [c], Tobi Adekunle (Nick Watts 66). Unused subs : Sam Olaofe, Rory Anderson.

Yellow Card :  Sawyer 90+4

AFC Bournemouth : Jordan Holmes, Jon Muleba, Callum Buckley [c], Josh Kaye, Jack Simpson, Matt Butcher, Mohamed Coulibaly, Josh Carmichael, Josh o’Hanlon, Ally Coulibaly (Matt Worthington 84), Sam Matthews (Sam Surridge 66). Unused subs : Jordan Lee, Callum Stanton, Declan Randall

Yellow Card :

Attendance : 190

Man of the Match :  Alex Sawyer

Referee :  Sam Ogles  Assistants: Lewis Sandoe & Wayne Thomas. 4th Official : Alex James (oooh, a 4th official!)

Sholing beat the AFC Bournemouth development squad with an excellent perfromance to reach the final of the Hampshire Senior Cup. Barry Mason’s penalty was the difference as the underdogs pulled through and will now face Gosport Borough (and ex-Sholing boys Mike Carter and Lee Wort) in the competition's final at Fratton Park the home of Portsmouth FC.

Bournemouth got the game underway at break-neck pace and the opening 10 minutes was an open affair between 2 sides separated by no less than 6 tiers (at least the first teams anyway!). On 8 minutes, Tobi Adekunle struck a well hit left foot effort from 25 yards out, which only just flew over the bar. After that Sholing were having the better of the play although Bournemouth did have their chances and came close on 12 minutes when Josh o’Hanlon rolled a dangerous pass right across the face of Matt Brown’s goal, but there was no one there to meet it.

Sholing continued to chip away and a long ball found its way to Barry Mason, who had to control the ball in the air to have any chance of getting an effort away, but Barry as he was losing his balance, he snatched at the effort and blazed the strike wide. Mohamed Coulibaly produced a neat touch to set up a Bournemouth break, but the resulting corner was well dealt with as the development squad struggled to make a worthy goal scoring effort.

The game quietened down as it approached the half hour mark with both teams aware of what their counterparts were capable of. Bournemouth’s Mohamed Coulibaly looked a lively and tricky character and at times looked very threatening. Sholing had another chance at goal as a defensive mishap gave Byron Mason the ball, he surged into the area to the edge of the 6 yard box and fired a cross shot that the keeper tipped round the far post. Neither linesman or referee saw the clear touch and gave a goalkick. Sholing then went one better and had the ball in the net, but Tobi Adekunle was judged to be offside.

Sholing then had a goal, and it counted. Kevin Brewster was fouled as he skipped into the box and the penalty was rightfully given. Up stepped BARRY MASON who firmly stuck the ball the opposite was to the helpless Jordan Holmes.

Bournemouth then had a dangerous free kick about 20 yards out after Sam Matthews was brought down. Josh Carmichael rolled the ball into the penalty area to spark an intricate free kick routine, that Matt Brown gratefully grabbed hold of eventually. As half time approached Sholing had a succession of 3 corners, all three were dealt with by the Bournemouth defence but Kevin Brewster almost curled it directly in at the near post with one of them.  HT 1-0

Sholing kicked off the second half, Byron Mason saw too headed efforts turned off the line in the early stages of the second half as Sholing looked for a second. Bournemouth had a good opportunity to level the score-line but Mohamed Coulibaly fluffed his lines and put the effort well wide.

After that Byron Mason saw another fantastic header denied, this time from a corner, his header looked to be just sneaking in under the crossbar but Jordan Holmes showed stunning reactions to palm the ball onto the bar. A minute later Barry Mason bullied his in on goal, but lost balanced as he swung his boot at the ball and the ball bounced wide.

The game remained very competitive and both teams made subs to try and grab hold of the game, Nick Watts came on for Tobi and looked lively, while Dan replaced brother Barry up front. Bournemouth kept pressing forward trying to find an open passage to goal but couldn’t break down the Dan Miller marshalled defence.

Byron Mason then had another glorious chance to double Sholing’s lead as he was put through 1 on 1 with the keeper, he rounded him but was forced wide and with the ball running out of play, his effort on the stretch clipped the outside of the post.

Sholing began to sit deep in the final 15 minutes as Bournemouth pressed forward. However, the professionally trained Cherries were not looking any fitter than the Sholing lads who all had a day at work/university before tonight's game.  A nervous final minutes saw Sholing scramble clear a Bournemouth corner that threatened to be poked home. Despite 4 minutes being shown as additional time, it was almost into the 6th minute that Sholing took the ball into the corner and when it broke loose, finally the ref blew for time.  FT 1-0

Photos by Naomi Baker (Courtesy of AFC Bournemouth - click an image to enlarge)

• Byron Mason Byron Mason
• Jack Smith Jack Smith
• Tobi lunges in Tobi lunges in
• TJ makes a friend TJ makes a friend
• That losing feeling That losing feeling
• How did I miss!? How did I miss!?
• Body swerve Body swerve
• Man of the Match - Alex Sawyer Man of the Match - Alex Sawyer
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