Portchester0 1Sholing

Scorer : Dan Mason 3

Date : Saturday 4th February 2017 - 3pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue : The Blanchard Wells Stadium

AFC Portchester : Cameron Scott, Rob Evans, Simon Stone (George Wells), Nathan Kirby, Joshua Warren; Thomas Cain, James Clarke, Lewis Edwards, Steven Ramsey (Lee Peacock), Andrew Todd, Alex Baldacchino. Unused Subs: Daniel Mukherjee, Dale Mason

Yellow Card:

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marv McLean, Luke Dempsey, Dan Miller, Micky Hubbard, Barry Mason (Zac Mouland 67), Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Alex Sawyer (Jamie Bulpitt 67). Unused Subs: Corey Cherrett, Owen Roundell, Jamie Bray

Yellow Card:  Micky Hubbard, Byron Mason

Attendance : 70ish (approx 12 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Marv McLean

Referee: Paul Sanderson  Assistants: Stuart Carter & Geoff Skillen

Three was the magic number for Sholing as Dan Mason grabbed his 33rd goal of the campaign, in the 3rd minute to claim all 3 points and rack up our 3rd win at Portchester this season.

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Sholing, in their away colours of blue and white, began well and inside two minutes could have led when a TJ Cuthbertson cross wasn’t properly connected with by Byron Mason.

Sixty seconds later Dave Diaper’s team were ahead when Sholing kept the pressure on, and when Marvin McLean’s cross wasn’t cleared, DAN MASON (making his 250th appearance for the club) curled the ball into the bottom right corner at the second attempt for his thirty third goal of the season.

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Sholing had all the momentum and Lee Wort’s long range daisy-cutter gave goalkeeper Cameron Scott minimal problems, while Micky Hubbard also shot off target on 26 minutes.

They could have been pegged back when good play from the hosts allowed former Sholing striker Alex Baldacchino to shoot, but Marvin McLean’s excellent block prevented him from haunting his old club.

On a pitch that was becoming increasingly more like a quagmire, Sholing were passing well in the first half and Micky Hubbard had another opening from which he shot just over after more pressure from the visitors.

It should have been 2-0 before half-time as a Byron Mason cross was chested down and poked goalwards by Dan six yards out, but he hit the post with keeper Cameron Scott getting a touch to it. HT: 0-1

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AFC Portchester were a different team after the half-time interval and immediately put pressure on the visitors. Alex Baldacchino had another shot over the bar, with Lewis Edwards also having a shot blocked. On 54 minutes Sholing could have extended their lead when a Barry Mason free-kick from the left wing was headed over from close range by defender Luke Dempsey. On the hour mark referee Paul Sanderson caution Michael Hubbard for dissent.

Portchester's best move of the match, with a surging run down the left wing, freed the lively Alex Baldacchino once more, but with space he shot straight into the arms of Ryan Gosney on 67 mins. This then lead to a double substitution by Dave Diaper with Jamie Bulpitt & Zac Mouland replacing Barry Mason & Alex Sawyer respectively.

Skipper Byron was clearly aggrieved on 73 mins when he won the ball but referee Sanderson deemed it to be an illegal challenge and received a yellow card.

Dan Mason could have doubled his total for the day, albeit from a tight angle, was denied by Cameron Scott’s feet.

Luke Dempsey then threw himself at an Andy Todd shot as Portchester kept pushing for an equaliser. It did allow lots of space for the Boatmen to hit them on the break, but in good positions, tired legs on the very heavy pitch, contributed to wayward final balls.

The pitch played a part in the final main action of the game as Ryan Gosney dived at the feet of Lee Peacock when it appeared the ball got stuck in the mud in the area, meaning the substitute was on his heels when it looked like he would score.  However, the Boatmen's strong defensive performance earned them clean sheet number 17 of the season at a ground which has become almost a second home. FT 0-1

Report by Jack Prentice

Next Home Game : Sholing v Hamble Club - Tuesday 7:45pm - Wessex League Cup Quarter Final

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