Sholing0 3Buckland

Scorers : Charlie Johnson (39), Richard Groves (84), Marc Revell (86)

Date : Saturday 22nd October 2016 - 3pm - Buildbase FA Vase First Round

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Kevin Brewster, Marv McLean, Pete Castle, Owen Roundell, Jamie Bulpitt, Barry Mason (Zac Mouland 38), Alex Sawyer (Nick Yeomans 65), Dan Mason, Byron Mason [c], Jake Hoole (Owen Royl 58). Unused subs: Jean-Luc Ramdin, Josh Milsom.

Yellow Card: Marv McLean (53), Byron Mason (90) Jamie Bulpitt (92)

Red Card: Byron Mason (90)

Buckland Athletic: Grant Fisher, Clifford Walters, Liam Drew, Karl Green (Simon Revell 58), Simon Laughton, Liam Head [c], Danny Griffiths, Richard Groves (Marc Revell 86), Gavin Hammon, Charlie Johnson, Lloyd Gardner (Ryan Dabbs 88). Unused subs: Lewis Perrin, Ellis Laight.

Yellow Card: Liam Head (75)

Attendance : 147

Man of the Match : Jamie Bulpitt

Referee: Alex Rush-Fear  Assistants: Russell Morris & Lewis Ward

Sholing were dumped out of the FA Vase by Buckland Athletic for the second straight year after the visitors won 3-0 in the first-round. The Bucks had eliminated the Boatmen in the second-round stage last year after a 2-1 extra time victory at Homers Heath and made it back-to-back knock-outs thanks to goals from Charlie Johnson, Richard Groves and Marc Revell.

Team news: Dan Miller missed out after sustaining a cut beneath the eye in the midweek home game. Roundell came in to partner Castle at the back.  On the bench was Owen Royl, celebrating his 17th Birthday today. Dave Diaper included another youngster on the bench, calling up 16 year old Jean-Luc Ramdin from the Development Squad.

Sholing started brightly with a ball falling to Alex Sawyer 12 yards out, but his poked effort towards goal lacked conviction and was dealt with. Then Kevin Brewster’s deep ball was beautifully taken down on the chest by Jamie Bulpitt and the midfielder’s shot fell to Dan Mason, whose ambitious overhead kick flew over the bar via a deflection.

A lovely one-two between Dan Mason and Jamie Bulpitt found space for the former, who created a shooting opportunity but dwelled too much and allowed Simon Laughton to get back in time to block his effort.

Barry Mason’s attempt was foiled by Grant Fisher in the visiting goal, while the Bucks began producing some goal-scoring chances for themselves – Richard Groves coercing some excellent defending from Pete Castle.

Lloyd Gardner was causing problems down the left and it was his in-swinging corner that fashioned the first real chance of the match for the visitors as Richard Groves drew a superb point-blank save from Ryan Gosney after he was afforded a free header from 8 yards.

The Boatmen thought they should have had a penalty in the 31st minute after a corner was cleared and as Kev Brewster put it back in, Clifford Walters jumped to block and appeared the ball hit his outstretched arm, but referee Alex Rush-Fear waved away the appeals.

Captain Byron Mason tried to break the deadlock for Sholing as he rose highest at the far post from Kevin Brewster’s corner but he headed over from six yards. On 38 minutes Barry Mason, who seemed to have picked up a knock, was replaced by Zac Mouland.

Kevin Brewster was denied by clever defending as his freekick from 20 yards was headed off the line by Clifford Walters.  The big defender sensed that Brewy was eyeing up the big gap by the near post and dropped out of the wall and backpeddled furiously to head clear.  

Buckland took the lead three minutes later in the 39th minute through Charlie Johnson. A deep free kick towards the back of the box from Lloyd Gardner was half cleared by Byron Mason and it bounced to the feet of CHARLIE JOHNSON and the forward calmly controlled the ball before lashing it past Ryan Gosney into the top right corner. HT 0-1

The Boatmen started pressing for the equaliser immediately after the interval, with Jamie Bulpitt’s driven, left-footed shot from inside the box testing Grant Fisher. Zac Mouland tested the keeper's reactions with a fizzing effort from the right as Sholing went searching for some attacking impetus to help level the scoring.

Buckland continued looking to put the game to bed with Lloyd Gardner and Charlie Johnson firing wide, while the latter blazed over from a 25-yard free kick.

Ryan Gosney lofted a looping free kick high into the Buckland box and the ball fell kindly to Dan Mason and the striker deftly killed the ball dead before firing a half-volley on the turn, but it was cleared by Simon Laughton.

The hosts pushed forward and won numerous corners but Pete Castle’s downward header was the closest chance. Substitute Nick Yeomans found himself in space running through on goal but in keeping with Sholing's attacking play, the final shot was delayed and unconvincing and thwarted by a well organised defence.

Charlie Johnson came close to doubling his tally for the day, but birthday boy Owen Royl made a brilliant last-ditch tackle to stop the attack. The Boatmen countered and a big chance fell at the feet of Dan Mason as he found space in the box to get a shot off with the outside of his right foot, but Grant Fisher was alert to make a diving save to keep the Bucks in pole position.

Sholing were getting frustrated with the delaying tactics of the visitors and also how the Referee seemed intent on giving soft freekicks based mainly on how loud the player appealed for them.

And the away side all-but-ended the game in the 84th minute through Richard Groves. Some good hold-up play from Lloyd Gardner on the right allowed him to skip past Owen Royl and dink a through ball to RICHARD GROVES to coolly dispatched into the bottom left from 16 yards.

Buckland made it three, two minutes later, as substitute MARC REVELL, who had been on the pitch for literally ten seconds, popped up at the far post to finish low past Gosney.

With the game gone, the frustration boiled over when captain Byron Mason was dismissed in stoppage time after picking up two quick cautions for dissent in the space of 30 seconds. 

The final score may have flattered the visitors, but there was no denying they were the better & stronger side & deserved to go through. Good luck to them in the next Round. For Sholing, it was very disappointing to be defeated in this manner at home, something that very rarely happens. FT 0-3

Report by Neil Vincent

Next Game :  Horndean v Sholing - Saturday 29th October 3pm

Photos by Greg Holmes - Not to be reproduced without permission (click an image to enlarge)