Cowes1 3Sholing

Scorers : Dexter Malin 66 / Dan Mason 2, 60, 70

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

Venue : Westwood Park

Cowes Sports : Ed Hatt, Sam Phelps, Jacob Treagus, George Woodburn, Aidan Bryan, Jordan Browne, Fin Phillips, Gareth Bricknell, John McKie, Dexter Malin, Jason Malcolmson.  Subs : Chris Elliott, Jason Ince, Leigh MacKenzie, Ollie McArthur & Aaron Bunday

Yellow Card :  John McKie, George Woodburn

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Owen Royl, Marv McLean, Luke Dempsey, Dan Miller, Micky Hubbard, Alex Sawyer (Kev Brewster) Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason (Zac Mouland), Lee Wort, Jake Hoole. Unused Subs : Owen Roundell, Marc Diaper & Jordan Brooks

Yellow Card : Byron Mason, Alex Sawyer

Attendance : 104 (approx 20 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Dan Mason

Referee : Bruce Waymark  Assistants : Adam Hillier & Ffion Eade

Dan Mason scored a stunning hat-trick to not only claim all three points, but to reach the 100 first team goals milestone.  D-Dan achieved that landmark in just his last 154 games for the club, a remarkable goalscoring achievement and once again today, he showed how deadly he is around the box with three top quality finishes.

Team News: Sholing showed one change from the side that lost to league leaders Moneyfields last time out as Owen Royl replaced TJ Cuthbertson at right-back.  Cowes put out a young looking line-up as they looked to build on a recent win at Lymington.

The Boatmen got off to the perfect start after only two minutes, when from a 25 yard freekick, Micky Hubbard drilled the ball into the feet of DAN MASON who took a touch, turned and hammered an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

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Alex Sawyer was denied by Cowes keeper Edward Hatt but the hosts then squandered two chances in quick succession. John McKie saw an effort deflected narrowly wide before Finlay Phillips fired into the side netting from an angle. Hatt saved well from Lee Wort after Jake Hoole had cut the ball back on 35 minutes.

Sawyer went close for the visitors shortly before the break and Ryan Gosney then denied McKie at the other end. Sholing were a little frustrated not to have capitalised more on a good start, as the game got increasingly scrappy as it got to the half way point. HT: 0-1

Cowes started strongly after the restart as Dexter Malin headed down and up onto the bar and Phillips had a volley blocked - but Sholing doubled their lead just after the hour mark.

It was a strike of breathtaking brilliance as Byron Mason flicked the ball into the path of substitute Brewster and he, in turn, picked out DAN MASON. Sholing's top scorer controlled on his chest, pulled the ball down, spun his marker and rifled home high into the net from 18 yards for a stunning goal.

But the Yachtsmen still had wind in their sails and quickly pulled a goal back through Malin’s near post finish on 66 minutes after the Boatmen had switched off at a corner.

Hatt then saved well from Hoole before Mason put the result beyond lingering doubt in the 70th minute. A deep corner to the far post was headed back across goal, where DAN MASON, with his back to goal, hooked it acrobatically over his shoulder from 6 yards to claim his hat-trick.

After some fractious recent games, was nice to see the match played in a good spirit, where the football, not the referee was centre stage. Sholing went hunting for more goals and from a great cross by Mouland, Wort put a diving header just wide and the hardworking striker was then thwarted by Hatt who parried his well struck shot. FT: 1-3

Sholing manager Dave Diaper said: “My golden rule is not to lose three in a row, this was a good and much needed win." “We sat back at 2-1 and made it hard for ourselves, but I’m please to get back to winning ways. “We’ve got seven league games left to consolidate fourth position, we’ve got one cup final and another semi-final to come so we can make it a good season. “Dan is simply brilliant for us and the second goal epitomized everything he’s about, he’s quality and we’re lucky to have him.”

Dan Mason said: “It’s nice to get back in the goals with a win, I’m always pleased to get a hat-trick but the most important thing is the team. “The last couple of results have been disappointing and we made it harder than we’d have liked today but it was an important win. “I’m on 41 for the season now, my target was to better my record from last season and I’ve done that. “To reach 50 goals would be great but it’s more important that the squad as a whole go on another winning run now.”

Report by Jamie Spoor

Next Home Game : Sholing v Team Solent - Tuesday 7:45pm - Wessex League Cup Semi Final
FREE ADMISSION : Sholing v Bournemouth - Saturday 3pm - Wessex Premier

Photos courtesy of Andrew Ormerod (please visit his excellent Hopping Around Hampshire Blog)