Scorers : Lewis Beale 56  / Own Goal 26, Jake Hoole 41, Lee Wort 66

Date: Friday 24th August 2018 - 7:45pm - Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round

Venue: Victory Stadium, HMS Temeraire

United Servcies Portsmouth : Joe Hunt, John Cass (Jordan Pile 77), Elliot Turnbull (Josh Hazel 77), Tom Jeffes [c], Sean Snelling, Tyler Burns, Mike Silvanus, Callum Glen, Michael Dark, Harry Potter (Henry Jordan 67), Lewis Beale.  Subs : Mark Cotton, Will Short, Cameron Quirke

Yellow Card :  Tom Jeffes

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marv Mclean, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Alex Sawyer (Owen Royl 76), Jamie Bulpitt, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jake Hoole.  Subs not used : Jack Smith, Billy Connor, Bradley Targett, Owen Roundell, Kevin Brewster & Nick O'Donnell

Yellow Card : Jake Hoole

Attendance:  131 (approx 40 Sholing fans)

Referee:  Sean Phillips  Assistant Referees: Marcus Ward & Oscar Whiting

Jake Hoole inspired Sholing to victory, as they avoided the potential banana skin in a hard fought FA Cup tie at US Portsmouth on a wet Friday night.

Dave Diaper, taking charge for the 999th time, recalled Pete Castle to the starting line-up after he was passed fit to play following a facial injury sustained at Christchurch.  Alex Sawyer partnered Byron in the middle of the park, with Jake Hoole supporting Dan & Lee up front.  Persistant light rain zipped up a good looking pitch as the game got underway on a more chilly than expected evening in front of a decent sized crowd under cover in the big stand.

US Pompey looked the sharper in the opening exchanges, especially with balls into the box from open play and corners as it took a while for Sholing to find their feet.  It was the Boatmen who had the first effort on target, when on 12 mins, Dan Mason spun and shot, but straight down the throat of the keeper.  On 20 mins, TJ arrived to meet a deep cross, but under pressure and the ball arriving at an awkward height, he put the effort wide.

Sholing's best moves came down the left flank through Marv Mclean & Jake Hoole and it was the latter who set up the opening goal on 26 mins.  Hoole cut in from the left and his firmly hit cross was headed down into the ground by a defender and it bounced up into the net for an Own Goal. Home side continued to cause Sholing issues at corners and on 28 minutes, US Pompey went very close to an equaliser when the ball pinged around the box and then spun just wide of the upright. 

Boatmen doubled their advantage on 41 minutes with a remarkable goal.  JAKE HOOLE collected the ball and from the far corner of the 6 yard box, lashed an unstoppable left foot shot that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar, giving the keeper no chance.  HT 0-2

Second half was delayed by 10 minutes with the Referee concerned about the lack of light on the side of the pitch nearest the stand.  The floods were turned off and back on again to try to get the two towers nearest the stand to come up, but without any luck.  After consultating both managers & players, it was decided to carry on with the game.

US Pompey started more brightly than the errant floodlights for the restart and got a deserved goal on 56 minutes.  Dark (no pun intended) whipped in a cross from the left wing and Lewis Beale met it with a powerful header that Gosney got a hand to, but couldn't stop it from finding the back of the net.

Not for the first time this season, the Boatmen soon put thoughts of a home team comeback in the bin by extending their lead quickly after conceding.  A long ball forward was collected by Dan Mason who fed LEE WORT on his right, who cut past two defenders and coolly slotted the ball past the keeper and inside the post.  Was his 8th of the season and kept up his record of scoring in every game thus far.

The home side continued to play well, probably causing Sholing's defence more moments of worry than any other team so far this season.  Twice, Ryan Gosney had to be at his best to firstly deny Dark from close range and then to quickly come off his line and smother as a runner from midfield went through the middle unchecked.

Jake Hoole was continuing to impress and he thumped the base of the far post with a shot from the edge of the area. Then a couple of minutes later, he burst through the middle and into the area, where Hunt did well to save.  Dan Mason was presented with the ball on the edge of the area with just the keeper to beat, it seemed to take him by surprise as the usually lethal striker's first touch let him down.

Sholing continued their winning start to the season, making it 6 games won away from home in a row and we go into the hat for the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round.  FT 1-3

Good luck to United Services Portsmouth for the rest of the season and many thanks to our supporters for turning out in good numbers to back the lads.

Dave Diaper's thoughts after the game : "Well, into the Hat for Monday’s draw after a very good win against a very good US Portsmouth Side in the FA Cup. I always knew it was going to be a tough game and I wasn’t wrong, they were a threat going forward and we had to be at our best to progress to the next round.

The first 45 mins we were excellent and our passing and movement was top quality and it had to be as US Portsmouth ran at us with pace and if it wasn’t for Gos being at his best we could have conceded a couple of goals. In games like this it is important to take your chances and after the own goal, superb strikes from Jake and Lee we saw the game out. Good effort US Portsmouth and if you can carry that performance into your league matches I’m sure you will be promoted"

Next Game : Tadley Calleva v Sholing - Tuesday 21 August 7:45pm - Wessex League Cup