Scorers :  Tyler Rutten 31  /  Byron Mason 69

Date : Saturday 12th December 2015 - 3pm kick off - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Verwood Town : Chris Lynch, Dean Evans, James Murray, Russell Dyer, Liam Donachy, Zach Phelps, Max Brimson (Joe Kimber 75), Charlie Gajic [c], Joe Wood (Aaron Atkinson 68), Jack Swan, Tyler Rutten. Subs not used: Brad Goddard, Ben Kelly.

Yellow Card : 

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Dean Faithfull, Jack Smith, Pete Castle, Dan Miller (Owen Roundell 31), Jamie Bulpitt, Barry Mason (James Davis 62), Alex Sawyer, Dan Mason (Nick Yeomans 82), Byron Mason [c], Marvin McLean.  Subs not used: Jordan Brooks, Kevin Brewster

Yellow Card : 

Attendance : 72 (15 Sholing Fans)

Man of the Match : Byron Mason

Referee : Alex James Assistants: Daniel Burke & Chris Sheppard

SHOLING were indebted to skipper Byron Mason for salvaging a point at a very windy Potterne Park. 

Team News: Doug Rowe's injury kept him out and Jack Smith was preferred at Left Back. Dan Mason returned after missing the last three matches and Marvin McLean returned after being rested. Jake Hoole with a bad back, watched from the touchline.

Verwood Town kicked off with a very strong wind at their backs. The Forest outfit produced long balls down the flanks with full backs Dean Faithfull and Jack Smith having to be on their toes to thwart the early Verwood attacks. Byron Mason was called upon on three occasions to take the pressure off the defence as the home side were dominating midfield by closing Sholing down quickly and gaining possession, before breaking forward at speed.

Nine minutes into the game Sholing nearly took an unexpected lead when Alex Sawyer battled for the ball and the Verwood defender intervened and managed to divert the ball past a wrong footed Chris Lynch in goal, but as it trickled towards the open net he managed to scramble back and clear the ball off the line.

Alex Sawyer was again on hand to put Barry Mason in on goal but his touch took him wide and his shot was blocked by the defender. A long clearance from Chris Lynch just eluded skipper Charlie Gajic and was safely collected by Ryan Gosney. Moments later Ryan Gosney was called into action when another long ball wrong footed Dan Miller and Jack Swan got goal side of him but his effort was tipped over by Gosney for a corner.

Sholing looked to leading scorer Dan Mason to open the scoring, a Dean Faithfull throw-in found Barry Mason who linked up with Marvin McLean and got the return ball before putting over a pinpoint cross that Dan met with a strong header, but his direction was off and it went over. Skipper Charlie Gajic had another opportunity to put Verwood in front but he hit his effort wildly over Ryan Gosney’s crossbar.

The pivotal moment in the first half came on twenty nine minutes when defender Dan Miller made a challenge on the halfway line and appeared to go over on his right ankle and straight away it didn’t look good. Sholing put the ball out of play so Dan Miller could get treatment but after a few minutes he hobbled off the pitch. The game restarted with the ten men of Sholing perhaps lacking concentration as they were regrouping and Verwood took advantage.  Tyler Rutten found himself 25 yards out and not closed down, so drilled a shot into the Sholing area, the ball took a big deflection off Pete Castle to divert the ball past a stranded Ryan Gosney.

Owen Roundell replaced Dan Miller and slotted in at right back with Dean Faithfull moving in alongside Pete Castle. Seven minutes later Verwood should have increased their lead Jack Swann got past Jack Smith and from the goal line squared the ball inside to Charlie Gajic but the Verwood skipper managed to put his effort wide with the whole goal to aim at.  HT 1-0

Four minutes into the second half the Forest side were left rueing an amazing miss by Jack Swann who managed to put the ball over Gosney’s bar from two yards out.

Jamie Bulpitt won the ball and put in skipper Byron Mason but had his shot collected by Chris Lynch in the Verwood goal.  Sholing introduced their second substitution when James Davis replaced Barry Mason. Two minutes later the travelling Sholing contingent thought the Boatmen had equalised but Marvin McLean’s well hit shot nestled into the side netting. 

With the wind at our backs and improved energy from the midfield, the Boatmen were finally dominating possession and equalised on 69 minutes. Alex Sawyer’s free kick into the area found centre back Pete Castle who neatly headed the ball into the path of BYRON MASON to side foot his seventh goal of the season past Chris Lynch.

Frustrations had to be settled by referee James when Marvin McLean was fouled and the Verwood player Zach Phelps felt aggrieved and it led to a stern talking to for both players under the watchful eyes of both skippers.

As Verwood tired, their closing down of Sholing's midfield relented, allowing Jamie Bulpitt more into the game. Bulpitt intercepted a pass and set up James Davis but the substitute had his shot blocked. Final roll of the dice came on eighty two minutes when Dan Mason was replaced by Nick Yeomans. Sholing pressed for a winner and with the game two minutes into stoppage time, Pete Castle up from the back hooked a shot from 18 yards a yard wide as the game ended a draw. FT 1-1

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

• Three into one, don't go Three into one, don't go
• Alex strides forward Alex strides forward
• Marv Marv
• Barry Mason Barry Mason
• JB JB
• Face up! Face up!
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