Gosport3-0Sholing

Scorers : Justin Bennett (pen) 9, Adam Wilde 60, Matt Paterson 90+2

Date : Tuesday 5th May 2015 - 7:45pm kick off - Hampshire FA Senior Cup Final

Venue : Fratton Park, Portsmouth Football Club

Gosport Borough: Nathan Ashmore, Andy Forbes, Rory Williams, Michael Carter, Brett Poate, Sam Pearce [c], Steve Ramsey (Francisco Saez-Ferre 61), Daniel Smith, Matthew Patterson, Justin Bennett (Lee Wort 72), Adam Wilde (Daniel Wooden 61).  Unused subs : Andy Robinson, Lee Molyneaux

Yellow Card :

Sholing : Matt Brown, TJ Cuthbertson, Jack Smith, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Kevin Brewster (Owen Roundell 79), Nick Watts (Tobi Adekunle 57), Alex Sawyer, Barry Mason (Dan Mason 72), Byron Mason [c], Marvin McLean.  Unused  subs : Joe Griggs, Rory Anderson

Yellow Card : 

Attendance : 899

Hampshire FA Man of the Match : Mike Carter

Sholing Man of the Match : Dan Miller

Referee : Aaron Moody  Assistants: Alex Blake, Conor Farrell, Michael Taylor

Sholing were seen off by Gosport as the two league gap was the real difference between the teams in the conclusion of the Hampshire Senior Cup. A dubious penalty call in the end counted for nothing as Gosport dispatched two more goals past Matt Brown, including a fantastic direct free-kick. But the Boatmen can be proud of how they finished their season as they were causing Gosport problems at times. But in the end slipped to defeat as the Ultras came out in force for the season finale at Fratton Park.

Team News : Byron Mason, Pete Castle & Nick Watts returned to the starting line-up.  Jack Smith was selected at left back, with Kevin Brewster pushed into a holding midfield position.  Barry Mason was up front, with Byron playing just off him

Sholing won the toss and got the game underway, and started bright, Barry Mason and Alex Sawyer connected to send the former on a surging run to the right corner flag, which was eventually snuffed out. Gosport’s Matt Paterson got the first effort on goal, but his tame header from Bennett’s cross was always in Matt Brown’s arms. A few seconds later Steve Ramsey tried to trick his way into the Sholing box, he succeeded but was too smothered to get the strike away and the ball bobbled harmlessly into Brown’s arms.

Nick Watts showed a glimmer of brilliance for the Sholing fans as he raced away alone in the Gosport half, but at full speed it was difficult to get the shot away across his body and the strike went sailing wide.

Shortly after Gosport had the first corner of the game, they had a penalty, TJ Cuthbertson was judged to have brought down Sam Pearce in a rash manner, although the decision looked very soft. Justin Bennett made no mistake placing the ball in the bottom right corner, just out of Matt Brown’s reach, even though the Boatman shot-stopper guessed the right way.

Nick Watts had a moment to forget when trying to kick start a Sholing attack, the number 7 managed to leave the ball behind midway through his own territory, although he was spared his blushed by a Gosport mistake gifting the ball back to the Boatmen. Despite being 1-0 down at this point, Sholing looked happy to sit back with all 11 men inside their own half when Gosport were on the ball. This allowed Gosport plenty of the ball and ultimately this possession lead to chances, Steve Ramsey found himself again inside the Sholing area, and his shot might have beaten Matt Brown had Dan Miller’s last minute challenge not taken the sting out of it first.

Marvin McLean put a Gosport player on his backside with his speed and turns and found a way into the Gosport penalty area but his shot on the angle towards the near post was comfortably gathered.

Sholing then had a corner, Barry’s ball into the area was headed out, and met with a thunderous half-volley from Alex Sawyer, which required an equally stunning save from Ashmore to put it behind from a second corner. Which came to nothing.

Gosport then thought they had a second, after a long free-kick was turned in by Smith, although the linesman’s flag came to Sholing’s rescue. Seconds later, Sholing worked a move of their own, which concluded with Marvin McLean seeing his goal-bound effort hoofed away for a corner in a moment of panic by the Gosport defence, the keeper looked well beaten.

The game quietened down after the half-hour mark, and both teams putting together slow attacks. Matt Paterson tried to relight the tie’s fire, playing a one-two from just outside the area with Steve Ramsey, who was just inside penalty box. After the two combined Paterson put his foot through the ball and sent it just over the bar.

A few minutes before the interval Kevin Brewster was teed up just outside the area, instead of planting his laces through it Brewster decided a more controlled effort would do the job, the keeper was scrambling but the shot rolled just wide. HT 0-1

Gosport got the second half underway, just 45 minutes away from winning the competition for the second time in their history. On the other hand Sholing had 45 minutes to turn around the result and lift the trophy for the first time ever. A few minutes in, a lapse in concentration saw a ball run through two lines of Sholing men, before being picked up by Justin Bennett, thankfully for the sleeping Boatmen the following was brash and wide.

Both teams were finding space all over the field, Sholing were getting Tobi Adekunle ready, and he eventually replaced the limping Nick Watts. Gosport won a dangerous free-kick 25 yards out and Adam Wilde stepped up and curled a beauty past Matt Brown into the top corner. A minute later Wilde came off the field to a massive round of applause.

Sholing needed to score, and soon. Barry Mason decided to hit one from just outside the area, but the ball flew over. With just a quarter of the game left, Brewster flung a free-kick (from a similar range to Gosport’s disallowed goal) that was met by TJ's head that sent the ball over the top of the frame.

Gosport were still threatening at the other end, Daniel Wooden had Matt Brown worried with a relatively tame long range effort. Gosport brought on former Sholing frontman Lee Wort and Sholing responded by throwing his replacement Dan Mason into the mix. Sholing were looking tired, a long season was slowly ticking to a close and they were already looking beat by the well organised Gosport side.

Lee Wort wasn’t really having a massive impact on the game, but to be fair to him nothing was really falling his way. Owen Roundell was brought into the frame as Sholing’s final substitute of the season, replacing Kevin Brewster.

With just over 5 minutes to go the game seemed dead and buried. TJ showed fantastic skill to deny Gosport a third, heading off the line when Matt Brown was beaten, seconds later Matt Paterson’s near post effort found the wrong side of the net. Matt Brown was called into action to push away Dan Wooden’s close but poor effort.

At the other end Sholing were scratching away for an unlikely comeback, Tobi Adekunle showed good patience to work his way slowly into the penalty area, looking for a worthwhile shooting chance, and when he found one it rattled off the post and out of play. 3 minutes of added of time were indicated.

Two minutes into added time Gosport had a third. Matt Paterson confirmed the result with a measured low effort into the bottom right hand corner. FT 0-3

Report by Ollie Maskell

Manager's thoughts : After the game, Dave Diaper told the Echo : “I thought we recovered really well from the first goal and did well to get back into the game. But once again it was a set piece that undone us. I said before the game watch out for Adam Wilde, I know Adam very well, he’s lethal from 25-yards – especially centrally. But, lo and behold, two set-pieces and two goals. It was the timing of the goals that was crucial – just after the start and not long after half-time. The finishing is the difference, their two frontmen have scored more goals than my whole team have scored all season. When you’ve got that firepower at your disposal, then it’s a big difference. I thought we kept our shape and for 60 minutes I thought we were fine – no problems. It was the second goal that killed us, mentally more than anything because obviously you’ve got to get back into the game. Credit to the lads, one or two of them out there are quite young – so to lose to a team from two leagues above that just missed out on the play-offs with the best defence in that league, there’s no shame in that at all"

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

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