Scorers : Dan Mason 21 & 34, Byron Mason 41
Date : Wednesday 11th November 2015 - 7:45pm kick off - Sydenhams Wessex Premier League
Whitchurch United : Brad Snelling, Lewis Alderman [c], Taurean Manders, McAulie Stubbs, Ali Brown, Sam Floyd, Dave Parry (Luke Neller 45), Scott Hassell, Danny Phillips, Jack McCarthy, Tom Lockyer. Subs not used: Zac Hine, Declan McCarthy, Tyler Lewis
Yellow Card :
Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Kevin Brewster [Dean Faithfull 60], James Davis, Owen Roundell, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt, Barry Mason, Alex Sawyer [Nick Yeomans 56], Dan Mason, Byron Mason [c], Marvin McLean (Jake Hoole 77). Subs not used: Jordan Brooks, Doug Rowe
Yellow Card :
Attendance : 52 (20 Sholing fans)
Man of the Match : Dan Mason
Referee : Paul Roots Assistants: Andy Roberts & Michael Ridge
Sholing eased past a potential banana skin, following a twelve day break. Whitchurch with only two league wins all season, albeit against Salisbury & AFC Portchester, were no match for a well rested Sholing side looking to climb back up the table. Dan Mason continued his scoring prowess with a brace making it 21 goals in 20 games and Byron's header on half time put the game beyond Whitchurch.
Team News: Dave Diaper made three changes from the Laverstock win in the Vase, Dean Faithfull Doug Rowe & Jake Hoole dropped to the bench. Alex Sawyer return from injury with Barry Mason & Owen Roundell stepping up. Jack Smith was ruled out with an ankle injury picked up at work. Birthday boy Nick Yeomans celebrating his 18th was rewarded with a place on the bench.
Prior to kick off a minutes silence was observed for all fallen war heroes. Sholing kicked off playing down the sloping pitch. The early action saw link up play with Barry Mason, Kev Brewster & Dan Mason setting up Alex Sawyer to have the first shot of the game. Goalkeeper Brad Snelling was called into action again when debutant Sam Floyd fouled Dan Mason but Kev Brewster's 35 yd shot was easily collected. Sholing were dominating the game and a pinpoint pass from James Davis to Marvin McLean reached the goal line and squared for Dan Mason but he put his header just wide. On 17 minutes Sholing continued to pressurise the Whitchurch goal another Kev Brewster found the head of Dan Mason but again went wide.
On 21 minutes Sholing's pressure was rewarded when virtual spectator Ryan Gosney's kick high into the night sky was misjudged by centre half Sam Floyd and he slipped under pressure from DAN MASON. Dan collected the ball and drilled the ball past the advancing Brad Snelling to net his 20th goal of the season. Moments later Dan had a chance to increase his goal tally but his point blank shot was saved.
On 31 minutes Whitchurch came to life when their leading scorer Danny Phillips found some space outside the Sholing area but his hastily hit shot was more likely to trouble the corner flag than keeper Gosney. Tom Lockyer was the next to try his hand but Dan Miller deflected the ball away for Whitchurch's first corner coming on 33 minutes. Sholing's defence dealt with the corner easily in the air the ball broke to Barry Mason who put Marvin McLean in on the right hand flank but the winger had his shot blocked.
In the 34th Sholing doubled their lead Kev Brewster knocked the ball into DAN MASON with his back to goal he swivelled and with no one closing him down, hit an unstoppable shot from 30 yards that flashed past the diving Brad Snelling to notch up goal number twenty one of his impressive season.
Sholing's corner count continued to rise and just before the break, a pinpoint delivery from Kev Brewster picked out BYRON MASON to powerfully head the ball just under the crossbar to put Sholing in the driving seat. HT 0-3
Whitchurch made an immediate switch, replacing Dave Parry with Luke Neller. The home side, playing down the slope, looked a little sharper with former Sholing player Taurean Manders overlapping the winger early on. Another ex-Boatmen, Jack McCarthy, was getting increasingly frustrated appealing every time to the referee when he lost the ball.
Alex Sawyer making his return after missing the last seven matches was replaced on 55 minutes by Nick Yeomans then five minutes later Dave Diaper withdrew Kev Brewster and introduced Dean Faithfull to nullify the Whitchurch attack.
Nick Yeomans beat his man and got to the byline and crossed to Marvin McLean, who rather than striking the ball first time, tried to take a touch and that allowed the defender to block for a corner. With Kev Brewster off the pitch, Barry Mason took over the duty of taking corners, the keeper Snelling punches is first one clear, then a few moments later, a lower inswinging corner from Barry strikes the near post and is cleared.
Jamie Bulpitt is fouled inside the Sholing half, Ryan Gosney finds Barry Mason whose first time shot hits the school behind the goal. Whitchurch continue to try to breakdown the Sholing defence, substitute Luke Neller wide on the right has his shot deflected for a corner. Luke Neller's corner finds Tom Lockyer but once again Ryan Gosney was not tested.
With thirteen minutes remaining Dave Diaper made his final change replacing Marvin McLean with Jake Hoole. Whitchurch have a couple of long shots that are no more than catching practice for Gos. With Dan Mason on a hattrick he played in Jamie Bulpitt but he struck his shot wide. FT 0-3
Report by Greg Dickson
View from the Stands : Boatmen's 6th win in a row and we move up to 4th place in a very competitive top 6 in the Wessex League. It's shaping up to be a very interesting season, with a lot of strong teams at the top, but without a doubt, none of them will fancy playing Sholing at the moment. Defensively we've improved, with 4 clean sheets and only 3 goals conceded (compared to 17 scored in those 6 games). If I was being hyper picky, we perhaps sometimes take our foot off the gas, but that can be understandable, when in games such as this one, you have got the game totally under control by half time.
21 goals in 20 games now for Dan, keeping him clear at the top of the Wessex leading scorers. Proving that Dan scores all kinds of goals, both efforts tonight were top drawer.
Next Home Game : Saturday 14th - Sholing v Laverstock & Ford - Wessex League Cup - 3pm
