Sholing3 0Horndean

Scorer : Own Goal (Read) 40, Dan Mason 74, Micky Hubbard 86

Date : Saturday 18th February 2017 - 3pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue : Universal Stadium

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

Yellow Card : Micky Hubbard, Lee Wort

Horndean : Tom Price, Benny Read, Sean Wain, Sam Hookey, Iain Humble [c], Ashton Leigh, Jack Maloney, Joe Richardson, Mark Smith (Sam Smart), Connor Duffin, Robbie Tambling.  Unused Subs :  Charlie Walker, Jordan Fancey, Luke Heard & Jack Warren

Yellow Card : Ashton Leigh, Benny Read

Attendance : 109

Man of the Match : Byron Mason

Referee: Michael Ballard  Assistant Referees: Geoff Skillen & Daniel Batchelor

Sholing made it 6 consecutive wins with a hard fought victory over Horndean. Another stunning finish by Dan Mason was the highlight of a game that was quite even for long periods.

Team News: Jamie Bulpitt returned from suspension and Zac Mouland started in place of Barry Mason who is due for a small op next week to fix an ankle problem.  Jake Hoole, Jordan Brooks & Nick Yeomans were playing for the Development side.

The most welcome return to the Universal Stadium after a long absence... was the sunshine!  The game started in almost balmy spring-like conditions compared to many of the freezing cold ones we've experienced over the last month or two.  It was Sholing who started the brighter and Jamie Bulpitt showed quick feet to work space inside the box, but his left foot curling shot went over.  Five minutes later, a sliced shot from out wide by Hubbard fell to Dan Mason, who flicked it first time goalwards and the spin on the ball almost brought it on target, but it just evaded the far post.

There wasn't much of a flow to the game as neither side took a grip of midfield. A barrage of soft freekicks didn't help either.  On 28 minutes, a weak back pass put Lee Wort in with the keeper for a chase to the ball, neither made a definitive claim to it, but the Horndean keeper just about managed to do enough to get it away.

Horndean were pushing forward without creating much, but from a freekick, a flick header by Tambling went just over on the half hour mark. Zac Mouland was having success down the right wing and he firstly set up Lee Wort, who fired wide from 10 yards and Zac then put over a low cross that evaded everyone. 

Last season at the Universal Stadium, Horndean scored a spectacular own goal from the half-way line and they gifted Sholing another OG today.  This one was more comical than spectacular as Lee Wort crossed towards the far post where Benny Read was obviously mindful of Dan Mason arriving behind him and he got into a right muddle, slicing the ball past his own keeper and it trickled over the line.  HT 1-0

Horndean should have equalised 5 minutes into the second half when Duffin did all the hard work to run into space and present himself with the whole goal to aim at, but from 10 yards out he somehow pulled his shot wide of the post.   Sholing went down the other end and the Horndean keeper failed to claim a ball, leaving him stranded out of his goal, but the first time poked effort by Bulpitt went wide.

Dan Mason put a snapshot from just inside the box inches wide of the post with the keeper unmoved as the game opened up.  Horndean were sure they should have had a penalty when Dempsey tackled Duffin, but despite the loud and persistant appeals, the ref said no.    Price, in the Horndean goal, then did well to get down to Mouland's low shot to palm it away from danger.  The visitors were getting even more aggrieved & frustrated at any decision going against them, as the game became a bit of a side-show compared to the antics in the away dugout.

On 74 minutes, the game was lifted from the ridiculous to the sublime as DAN MASON notched his 36th goal of the season with another stunner (and dare I say, Alan Shearer-esq)  Zac Mouland had once again caused the left back problems and the ball eventually found Dan inside the box.  His first touch, perhaps wasn't the best as the ball appeared to be getting away from him, but he somehow managed to not only direct it goalwards, but on the stretch also generate huge power with his shot and it screamed into the roof of the net from 15 yards, giving the keeper no chance.

Was almost another goal for Dan soon after, but from a corner, his goalbound header was cleared off the line.  On 86 minutes Sholing got the 3rd.  A freekick was awarded 35 yards out from goal on the left wing.  MICKY HUBBARD took it and he curled his effort over the heads of everyone gathered in the box and straight in under the crossbar at the far post for his second goal for the club.

The win moved Sholing up to 3rd in the Wessex, notching up our 20th clean sheet of the season in the process.  FT 3-0

Dave Diaper said after the match : "We had to dig in today against a very good Horndean side. They pushed us all the way and when we were 1-0 up they missed a great chance to equalise. They also had, in what my opinion, was a stonewall penalty turned down and that I think was the turning point of the match. The lads worked hard for each other and in the end better finishing was the difference between the two sides. Now we march on to Tuesday when we are at home to Amesbury"

Next Home Game : Sholing v Amesbury Town - Tuesday 7:45pm - Wessex Premier

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)