Sholing3 1Bashley

Scorers : Brad Targett 44 & 58, Dan Mason 90+1  /  Dan Munday (pen) 17

Date: Saturday 10th November 2018 - 3pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue: Universal Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marvin Mclean, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt, Alex Sawyer, Bryson Mason (c), Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Bradley Targett. Unused Subs: Jake Hoole, Owen Royl, Jack Smith, Owen Roundell & Kevin Brewster

Yellow Cards: Jamie Bulpitt, TJ Cuthbertson, Lee Wort
Red Card : Brad Targett (two yellows)

Bashley: Jason Collins, Jack Smith, Sam Jackson, Liam Farrugia (Ethan Maddocks 36), Brad Morris (c) (Jack Phelps 71), Dan Thompson, Hugh Dathan, Brad Strickland, Dan Munday, Harrison White (Tyler Rutten 79), Nathan Clements. Unused Subs: Jamie Webber & Isaac Haigh

Yellow Cards:

Attendance: 105

Referee: Steve Hawkes  Assistants: Kevin Robinson & Des McCulloch

10-man Sholing stretched their 100% run in the league in a hard fought and sometimes-feisty game played in awful conditions at the Universal Stadium. This was by no means the perfect performance, but the Boatmen resisted both the elements and the fact they were a player light for the last quarter of the 90 minutes after two goal Bradley Targett was sent off.

Team News : Dave Diaper made four changes from the midweek win over Bournemouth Poppies with Alex Sawyer returned from his one match ban and TJ Cuthbertson returned from injury. Pete Castle started and Brad Targett was preferred to Jake Hoole. Owen Royl, Owen Roundell, Jack Smith & Jake Hoole dropped to the bench.

After heavy rain overnight and more deluges during the morning, there was concern that the pitch would become an issue. However,  the game still went ahead after a pitch inspection a few hours before kick-off. The match was preceeed by a minute’s silence for Armistice Day and a poppy wreath was laid on the centre circle in further tribute by Sholing Vice President Trevor Lewis & Bashley supporter Keith Hill.

Once the game kicked off, it was Sholing who dominated the first 15 minutes. Firstly, Bradley Targett put Lee Wort through on goal but his shot was saved as he tried to go round the Bashley keeper Jason Collins. Moments later, Alex Sawyer broke through on the right but his cross just evaded the in-sliding Dan Mason as the ball skidded through the 6 yard box.

After the early Sholing dominance had been safely negotiated, Bashley became more positive in attack and Brad Strickland had a shot saved by Ryan Gosney in the 15th minute. Two minutes later Bashley were awarded a penalty after Dan Munday went down just inside the box as Marvin McLean appeared to have played the ball away. Dan Munday stepped up and placed the ball down the middle to make it 1-0 to the away side despite Ryan Gosney getting a hand to the ball on its way through.

Once Bashley had taken the lead the game hit a lull as both teams cancelled each other out. Along with a heavy pitch, the flow of the game wasn't helped by the referee failing to play an obvious advantage several times. However, as the half time break approached, Sholing had a spell of dominance that enabled them to level the game at 1-1. On 34 minutes Lee Wort went on a surging run and beating two players shot into the side netting from the corner of the box. Then on the stroke of half time Jason Collins was beaten when a drop kick by Gosney was flicked on by Dan Mason to find BRAD TARGETT in space in the box and despite being challenged as he shot, the ball skidded past the keeper and into the net.

As the first half ended, the scoreline did reflect the game at that point. Although Sholing had arguably created more chances, Bashley had definitely had most of the possession and deserved to be level. HT: 1-1

Similarly to the first half, the second half started in yet another heavy downpour of rain, but this did not stop the home side from dominating the first 10 minutes.  Sadly, they didn't create any clear-cut chances in this period, and a routine challenge on the half way line by Bradley Targett was adjudged by the referee to be worthy of a yellow card when very many similiar tackles in the game went without one.

However, this was not to deter the young attacker as just three minutes late, he scored to give the home side the lead just before the hour mark. Lee Wort received the ball on the right, before cutting back and forth beating three defenders, his terrific cross into the box skidded off the sodden turf and was a perfect height for the arriving BRAD TARGETT, who connected the ball with a diving header into the net. The joy for Targett scoring his 9th of the season was to be short lived when eight minutes later he was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling an attacker with a sliding tackle that arguably was fair depending on your angle of the incident, although obviously the ref's angle was the one that mattered.

10 men Sholing then dropped back to protect their lead and it allowed Bashley to dominate possession and have a lot of the ball around the Sholing area, but without creating a decent chance, even with a numerical advantage on the pitch.  Shots flew well wide and over and from set pieces, the Sholing defence dealt with everything put into the box as all the players worked hard to protect the lead. In the first minute of added time, the Boatmen made the game safe. Byron Mason won a 50/50 tackle in the centre circle to free DAN MASON who ran in on goal, held off a challenge to go round the keeper and from a tight angle on the right, smashed his shot into the far top corner for his 28th goal of the season. 

Overall the game was an entertaining spectacle in which both teams played well in spells, but ultimately Sholing did enough to deserve the three points. The Boatmen have now won 12 games in a row in all competitions and they hope to continue this incredible run into Tuesday’s Russell Cotes Cup game against Totton (if the soddened & rutted pitch has recovered in time). Finally, credit should go to both sets of fans who braved the conditions and there was certainly some funny banter in the stands. A very enjoyable, but soggy afternoon at the Universal Stadium.  FT 3-1

Report by Connor Steel

After the game Jamie Spoor spoke to Sholing manager Dave Diaper: “I need to say what this weekend means, it’s a time of remembrance and commemoration and to thank those that have sacrificed themselves for our futures. At Sholing, like at all clubs, we always make sure we mark the anniversary - particularly as this year it’s the centenary - in whatever way we think is appropriate.”

“The game itself was a tough one in atrocious conditions, it was always going to be a match where we had to grind out the result and we did that. It wasn’t easy at all for the boys, I thought Brad's first yellow card was harsh, the referee needs to take the pitch and the conditions into account for the second one, fortunately it did not cost us, but I thought the officials were quite poor for both sides today”.

Next Game :  Sholing v AFC Totton - Tuesday 13th November 7:45pm - Russell Cotes Cup

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

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