Sholing5 1Malmesbury

Scorers :  Dan Mason 13, Lee Wort 23, Alex Sawyer 28 & 51, Pete Castle 32 / Kyle Witt 87

Date: Saturday 3rd November 2018 - 3pm - The Buildbase FA Vase Second Round

Venue: Universal Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson (Owen Royl), Marv McLean, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt (Jack Smith 48), Alex Sawyer (Ryan Mackney 73), Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Brad Targett. Unused subs : Jake Hoole, Owen Roundell

Yellow Cards: Jack Smith, Lee Wort

Malmesbury Victoria: Ant Brown, Josh Hughes, Jamie Richards, Krystian Hext, Paul Carsons, Paul Bains, Jamie Packer (Joe Tranter 60), Alfie Moxon, Sam Parker [c] (Charles Martin 71), Shane Bumphrey, Sam Jenner (Kyle Witt 53).  Unused subs : Adam Clatworthy, Jack Ellis

Yellow Cards: Krystian Hex

Attendance: 185

Referee: Derrick Laing Assistants: Callum Peters & William Siegmund

Sholing stormed into the 3rd Round of the FA Vase with an excellent performance to sweep aside Malmesbury Victoria. The game was put to bed in a one-sided first half where the Boatmen rained in efforts on the visitors goal, taking four of them and playing some great football in the process.

On a breezy but dry day, Sholing were on the front foot immediately, with Brad Targett volleying just over the bar from 12 yards inside 2 minutes. The Boatmen were swarming around the Malmesbury defence, with Dan Mason hooking over and then hitting the side netting, as well as Lee Wort firing wide, all the space of a couple of minutes.   Marv Mclean had already skinned the right back once and he did so again to set up Sholing's opening goal on 13 minutes.  Marv got the byline and as the keeper came out to meet him, the left back cut the ball into the middle of the box where it popped up nicely for DAN MASON to nod into the empty net for his 25th of the season.

The pace and movement of Sholing were causing the Malmesbury all sorts of problems with balls into the channel or lifted over a static back line. Brad Targett raced through onto a bouncing ball on 15 mins, the keeper came out, with Brad lifting it first time over his head, but it agonisingly fell onto the roof of the net.  It was 2-0 to the Boatmen on 23 minutes when LEE WORT broke through the offside trap and he coolly slotted past the advancing Brown from the edge of the area to match his strike partner on 25 goals, with the pair of them reaching 50 and it's only the start of November.

Sholing were having fun now, keeping the ball and knocking it around a totally bemused looking Malmesbury side who weren't getting a sniff and a spell of Boatmen possession resulted in a glorious 3rd goal on 28 minutes. After a succession of passes in midfield, TJ exchanged a link up with Jamie Bulpitt, who found him on the overlap with a lovely reverse pass and TJ had time to pick out ALEX SAWYER arriving in the box for the midfielder to side foot home a great team goal.

The Boatmen supporters didn't have to wait long for goal number 4, which arrived on 32 minutes as Alex Sawyer's right sided corner was met by PETE CASTLE with a towering downward header that went in off the foot of the post for his first goal of the season.  Pete was next in action on his own goalline to hack clear Malmesbury's only effort on goal in the half, after a sliced kick by Gosney had presented them with it.  However, the half time scoreline accurately reflected the balance of play.  HT 4-0

Start to the second half was delayed as a Malmesbury lad warming up with the subs at half time had reopened a nasty leg injury, but the swift action of Boatmen physios, Joel & Matt, helped the visiting bench to sort the lad out.  Owen Royl came on for TJ and Jack Smith for Jamie Bulpitt for the restart.

Sholing had their 5th goal on 51 minutes when ALEX SAWYER broke through the right channel and his low effort across the keeper was deflected in off a defender, but Sawyer claimed it.  Brad Targett showed a great touch to control and beat his marker in one motion to set himself up for an angled shot that Brown tipped over the bar.

The game calmed down, with Sholing in total control and with 20 minutes to go, the visiting players were already asking the Referee how long was left to play.  Boatmen continued to create more chances to score with Dan Mason twice denied by blocks in the 6 yard box. Jack Smith hit a fierce shot just over the bar and Lee Wort put an effort narrowly wide and a sharper final ball should have released Byron as he stormed through the middle.   After 747 minutes of football, Sholing finally conceded a goal, when with 3 mins remaining Kyle Witt managed to poke the ball under the advancing Gosney for a scant consolation for the visitors.  It took no gloss off a fantastic effort by Sholing, who will find out who they face in the next round on Monday.  FT 5-1

Thanks to our supporters for their backing today and the work of our stewards & volunteers in challenging circumstances.

Dave Diaper spoke to BBC Radio Solent after the game. You can listen to Diapes thoughts on this link (16 mins in) : https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06qqg22

Next Game :  Sholing v Bournemouth Poppies - Tuesday 6 Nov 7:45pm - Wessex Premier

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)