Sholing3 1Alresford

Scorer : Barry Mason 8, 15, Lee Wort 24  /  Tom Sands 88

Date : Tuesday 31st January 2017 - 8pm - Southampton Senior Cup Quarter Final

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Alex Sawyer, Marv McLean, Luke Dempsey, Dan Miller, Micky Hubbard (Jake Hoole 75), Barry Mason, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason (Nick Yeomans 70), Lee Wort, Jamie Bulpitt (Owen Royl 86).  Unused Subs : Corey Cherrett, Pete Castle

Yellow Card : Jamie Bulpitt, Alex Sawyer

Alresford Town : Dan Kempson, Tom Ashton, Tom Richards, Harry Davies, Rob Flooks, Mark Fletcher, Sam Burt, Aaron Blaxall [c], Tom Sands, Scott Munro, John Cole.  Subs: Jamie Nash, Geoff Dunn, Joao Aldeano, Sam Doswell, Lukas Mcartney

Yellow Card :  Harry Davies

Attendance : 84

Man of the Match : Barry Mason

Referee : Derek Pratt  Assistants : Paul Wicks & Rob Linter

Sholing progressed to the Southampton Senior Cup Semi Finals after blitzing Alresford with a storming first 30 minutes at the Universal Stadium.

Team News: With Kev Brewster away & TJ not registered in time, Dave Diaper had a choice between Alex Sawyer or Corey Cherrett at right back and went for the more experienced, Sawyer. Dan Miller returned in defence and Barry Mason slotted into midfield in place of the unavailable, Zac Mouland.

Huge credit goes to club groundsman, Trevor Diaper, for his hard work in getting the game on and giving us a very decent playing surface, despite a lot of recent rain.  Kick off was delayed for 15 minutes after Alresford had some issues with delivery of their kit.

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Sholing came roaring out the blocks, looking to make amends for a couple of disappointing recent results.  The midfield quickly closed down the visitors with the front men working the channels.  It forced a number of mistakes from the visitors and no bigger one than on 8 minutes which helped give Sholing the lead.  An underhit backpass was seized upon by an alert BARRY MASON, he took the ball beyond the keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Alresford responded with a ball through the middle that saw a coming together between Gosney & Burt, with the latter rolling around in the mud appealing for a penalty that the referee wasn't interested in giving. Boatmen continued to knock the ball around at pace and Dan Mason broke free on the right, crossed into the box for the arriving Bulpitt, but he couldn't get a clean connection the ball was easily gathered.

However, on 15 minutes, Jamie Bulpitt made a very clean connection with a 20 yard shot that Kempson parried out to his left. It pinged out to BARRY MASON who controlled well and while holding off a challenge, swept the ball into the bottom corner.

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Boatmen were swarming all over the visitors, who were getting a constant earbashing from their visibly irate & animated manager, and got a deserved third goal on 24 minutes. LEE WORT wasn't closed down quick enough and his shot from the edge of the area took a deflection that left the keeper rooted to the spot as it spun into the net.   Sholing could have been out of sight on 40 minutes when a corner by Micky Hubbard broke back to him, he swung it straight back in, almost catching out the keeper who pushed it off the line onto the head of Dan Mason. Unfortunately, Dan had to arch his back to head it back towards goal and it dropped just inches over the crossbar.   Sholing went into the break in total command.  HT 3-0

Five minutes into the second half, Sholing should have had their 4th, but after some chaotic defending by Alresford, the ball broke to Lee Wort 6 yards out, but his left foot effort, somehow, found the side netting instead of the goal.   Alresford started to finally look more like one of the form teams in the area, but a low skimming shot wide was typical of the efforts they would muster on Gosney's goal.

On 63 minutes, Marv Mclean put on the after-burners to get to the byline and crossed for the arrive Hubbard, but his first time volley went straight at the keeper.   Alresford continued to push forward but Dempsey, Miller, Sawyer & Marv were cleaning up most of the attacks as Sholing looked to hit the visitors on the break.  A couple of very close offside calls denied one-on-ones for Wort & Dan Mason, the latter picking up a knock and being replaced on 70 minutes by Nick Yeomans. 

The pitch that had remained remarkably playable, did start to get slippy & heavy as the game entered the last 15 minutes, with some tired legs evident from both sides. Alresford had a cross-cum-shot plonk onto the top of the crossbar before they finally got a consolation goal on 88 minutes.  Substitute Owen Royl was harshy penalised when he appeared to win a header just outside the box.  The freekick was swung in low and Tom Sands nudged it past Gos. 

But it was Sholing who deservedly progress to the Semi Final which will be played on a neutral ground (draw on Monday night).  A very strong & energetic performance from every Sholing player, make it a very hard job to pick a man of the match, but Barry edged it.  FT 3-1

Next Home Game : Sholing v Hamble Club - Tuesday 7th Feb 7:45pm - Wessex Cup

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