Portchester1 4Sholing

Scorers :  Rob Evans 16 / Byron Mason 60, 80, Pete Castle 88, Zac Mouland 90+2

Date : Tuesday 13th September 2016 - 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex League Cup Second Round

AFC Portchester: Lloyd Thomas, Rob Evans, Simon Stone, James Clarke, Tony Roberts, Tom Cain, Miles Everett, Joe Bye [c], Nathan Kirby, Steve Ramsey, Joe Peppel (Luke Sweeney 52). Subs not used: Dale Mason, George Wells, Ryan Gristi, Scott Cameron

Yellow Card :

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Kev Brewster (Zac Mouland 52), Jack Attrill, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt, Barry Mason, Owen Roundell, Dan Mason, Byron Mason [c], Jake Hoole. Subs not used: Nick Yeomans, Kieran Winman, Alex Sawyer, Marlon Mason

Yellow Card : Byron Mason, Owen Roundell, Jake Hoole

Attendance : 90

Man of the Match : Byron Mason

Referee: Wayne Thomas  Assistants: Geoff Skillen & Nigel Gibbens

An inspired second half performance saw Sholing through to the next round of the Wessex League Cup with a 4-1 win away at Portchester. A brace from Byron Mason and Pete Castle and Zac Mouland goals gave Dave Diaper’s side a scoreline that no one would have predicted at half time. 

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Team News: With injuries to Jack Smith & Owen Royl. Alex Sawyer dropped to the bench as he was feeling unwell. Jack Attrill came in at full back and Owen Roundell moved into midfield with Pete Castle returning to the heart of the defence alongside Dan Miller. Zac Mouland continue on the bench with slight groin strain. Jordan Brooks & Marvin McLean were both away on holiday. During the warm up Sholing goalkeeper Ryan Gosney got a back spasm and had to have treatment along with some painkillers which enabled him to start with Jack Attrill on standby just in-case Ryan’s injury developed further.

Sholing kicked off the second round of the Wessex League Cup in an unfamiliar Blue and White kit and it set the scene for an unfamiliar first half performance. The hosts were at it from the kick-off, zipping the ball around at pace and their movement caused the Boatmen all sorts of headaches.

Ryan Gosney’s busy game started with a couple of good catches from Portchester crosses before he parried a well struck Nathan Kirby shot wide, however he could do nothing about the next shot he faced.

Right-back Rob Evans made a marauding run from his own half under little pressure from Sholing and found himself on the edge of the box. He initially opted to pass rather than shoot but the ball found its way back to him and he placed it in the bottom corner on 16 mins.

The goal scared Dave Diaper’s men into life and shortly after Dan Mason got free and drilled a shot wide with the aid of a deflection.

On 28 mins, Portchester almost doubled their lead, firstly Dan Miller did well to force a Nathan Kirby header wide before former Havant & Waterlooville man Steve Ramsey curled a shot against the underside of the bar.

Sholing were finally seeing more possession as winger Jake Hoole started to influence the game. The Boatmen earned a succession of corners before their best chance of the half came.

Good link up from the Mason brothers created an opportunity for Byron and he struck a Daisy cutter of a shot that Lloyd Thomas could only parry out to Dan. The hotshot must’ve thought he’d equalised but superb agility from the keeper somehow kept the ball out, ensuring the home side went into the break with a deserved lead, but probably kicking themselves they weren't already out of sight. HT 1-0

The second half started with Sholing under more pressure and some dramatic defending kept the deficit to one goal. Jack Attrill headed a goal bound header of the line after a couple before minutes later Peter Castle threw himself in front of another Kirby shot following good work from Joe Bye.

Sholing needed a change and Dave Diaper made it, bringing on Zac Mouland for Kev Brewster in the 52nd minute, and that changed the game dramatically.

After struggling on set pieces in the first half, practice made perfect when Barry Mason’s corner was met at the far edge of the 6 yard box by Dan Miller, who headed it back for BYRON MASON to nod over the line right on the hour mark.

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Both sides then pushed for the lead, an acrobatic Dan Mason effort was saved by Lloyd Thomas before a Portchester counter attack saw substitute Luke Sweeney with only Ryan Gosney to beat, but he shot straight at the Sholing keeper.

Sholing continued to threaten on corners as Dan Miller and Dan Mason both came close with headers whilst Nathan Kirby saw a shot parried away by Ryan Gosney after great link up with Luke Sweeney.

Barry Mason, playing his 499th game for the Boatmen, had a thumping shot on the run, brilliantly tipped over the bar by Lloyd Thomas, and the resulting corner saw Dan Miller win another header but it was an easy save for the keeper.

With ten minutes left Sholing went in front for the first time. Barry Mason played a long ball up field to Zac Mouland and after a brilliant link up with Byron Mason the substitute was through on goal on the right side of the area and he unselfishly smashed it across for a simple finish for BYRON MASON.

Portchester didn’t come close to an equaliser and with 88 minutes gone Sholing made sure of the result when PETE CASTLE arrived at the near post to power in a header from a Barry Mason corner.

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Not content with a two goal victory, Sholing broke away in stoppage time and substitute ZAC MOULAND got the goal his performance deserved after dribbling through a tired Portchester defence and finishing coolly.

The final scoreline may not have reflected the balance of the whole game, but the Boatmen showed great character & levels of fitness to keep the hosts at bay and then considerably raise their game going forward. FT 1-4

Report by Reece Peacham

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