Sholing2 0TeamSolent

Scorer : Lee Wort 44 (pen), Jamie Bulpitt 76

Date : Tuesday 21st March 2017 - 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex League Cup Semi Final

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Owen Royl, Marv McLean, TJ Cuthbertson, Dan Miller, Kevin Brewster (Alex Sawyer 57), Zac Mouland (Jake Hoole 80), Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jamie Bulpitt.  Subs not used : Nick Yeomans, Owen Roundell, Jordan Brooks

Yellow Card : Jamie Bulpitt

Team Solent : Bradley Banda, Adeoye Olumuyiwa, Curtis Thorn, Pip Nolan, Ellis White, Jim Orvis, Ryan Dacres-Smith (Lewis Pitts 81), Jemal Wiseman, Tobi Adekunle (Silvana Obeng 68), Jesse Waller-Lassen [c], Matt Sheedy.  Subs not used : Steven Black, George Butler, Lee Webber

Yellow Card : Pip Nolan

Attendance : 92

Man of the Match : Lee Wort

Referee : Declan O'Shea  Assistants : Robert Finn & Connor Bowdidge

Sholing advanced to the final of the Wessex League Cup with a strong performance, in an entertaining game against Team Solent.  Lee Wort's penalty just before half time was the turning point & Sholing wrapped it up with 15 minutes to go through Jamie Bulpitt. 

The Boatmen will now face Baffins Milton Rovers in the final on 1st May at AFC Portchester

Team News: Micky Hubbard & Luke Dempsey were cup-tied, but Jamie Bulpitt returned from injury.  TJ Cuthbertson went to centre-back, Owen Royl continued at right back and Kev Brewster came in to anchor the midfield.

SolentCup1

Lee Wort robbing a defender trying to shepherd the ball out of touch, was the first action of the game, but the striker's cutback towards a waiting Dan Mason was well intercepted.  Both sides were looking to pass the ball around, with Kev Brewster pinging some nice passes to the flanks and Team Solent looking pacey going forward. 

On 13 minutes the visitors had the first shot on goal when a cross from the left found Orvis in space inside the box, but his first time shot was palmed onto the crossbar by Ryan Gosney.   Zac Mouland looked to have a decent claim for a penalty when he received a firm push to stop him hooking in a cross, but the officials weren't interested.

From an outswinging Kev Brewster corner on 22 mins, TJ drifted away to meet it with a guided header that flicked the outside of the upright.  Team Solent had a great chance to score soon after when Waller-Lassen was put clear, he tried to chip it over the advancing Gosney, but the keeper was able to bat it away at full stretch and the danger was cleared.   Wiseman also had a good chance to put the visitors in front, but his free header from close range was straight at Gos.

With a minute to go before the break, Sholing got the breakthrough.  Lee Wort cut across the face of the box and darted inside where Nolan tripped him. Clear penalty and one that even Solent didn't bother arguing with.  LEE WORT stepped up and slotted his penalty to the right of the keeper who dived the other way.  HT 1-0

{youtube}1jolvpNazFw{/youtube}

Sholing started the second half brightly and continued to play some nice stuff, especially down the right flank where Zac Mouland was getting more into the game.  They were also willing to vary the play by hitting Dan Mason with long balls, using the striker's strength to hold it up and bring others into it.  However, actual shots on goal were quite scarce as both defences did well mopping up the danger.

The Sholing back-line of Royl, TJ, Miller & Marv were looking especially comfortable, making some very well timed tackles and having enough pace to ensure they weren't opened up.  Just before the hour mark, Kev Brewster was replaced by Alex Sawyer, who came on for this 250th appearance for the club.

Freekick expert, Waller-Lassen, had a chance to show the watching crowd what he could do from a central position 25 yards out, but his effort was straight into the wall and in turn, it seemed to deflate the visitors that tonight they couldn't depend on their Captain to get them back in the game.

Sholing needed a second goal to make it comfortable and it duely arrived on 76 minutes.  Dan Mason flicked on a through ball to Lee Wort, who beat his man on the right side of the area and hit a firm low cross that the keeper palmed into the path of the incoming JAMIE BULPITT, who gleefully thumped the ball into the empty net from 6 yards.

Lee Wort almost grabbed a second goal for himself when he again cut past the defence, but his shot from 15 yards was well saved by Banda.  Sholing comfortably saw out the final few minutes to put out the holders and advance to the Final on the 1st of May.  FT 2-0

Report by Keith Legg

Next Game : Sholing v Bournemouth Poppies - Saturday 25th March 3pm - FREE ADMISSION!

SolentCup2