Scorers : Alex Sawyer 13 (pen), Dan Mason 33, Brad Targett 37

Date: Tuesday 22nd January 2019 - 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue: Universal Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marvin Mclean, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Owen Royl, Alex Sawyer (Jack Smith 81), Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort (Jake Hoole 78), Brad Targett (Bradey Norton 82). Unused Subs: Kevin Brewster & Owen Roundell

Yellow Cards: Alex Sawyer

Hamble Club: Brad Snelling, Jake Newton, Liam Crook (Ben Kemplen 45), Mike Byrne, PJ McLean, Callum Kitcher, Charlie Wagstaffe (Richard Bridle 59), Ryan Wilkins, Barry Mason, John Cole (Ricky Bull 87), Jason Silver.  Unused subs: Nathan Lynch, Rory Anderson

Yellow Cards: Mike Byrne, Callum Kitcher, Richard Bridle

Attendance: 147

Referee:  Derek Pratt  Assistants: James Colley & Rudi Burton

Boatmen came away with local bragging rights, defeating near neighbours the "Monks" whilst extending their unbeaten record and going further clear at the top of the Wessex Premier.  All the goals came in a first half where Sholing played some free flowing attacking football and scored a couple of excellent goals.

Jamie Bulpitt was still missing through injury, but the rest of the squad was the familiar line up with Sholing only using 18 different players in the League so far this season. History wise, this local derby only has 3 season's worth of games, but there is a remarkable amount of links between the two clubs. Tonight, no less than 3 sets of brothers were going against each other.  There was a warm welcome back to club legend, Barry Mason, playing his first game against his old team and of course, his two younger brothers.  Another ex-Boatmen, PJ McLean, lined up against Marv and there was also Pete Castle facing his brother Chris, who is the assistant manager at Hamble.  Elsewhere, there were numerous other playing and social connections between the players, coaching staff and committees.

For all that friendship off the pitch, as soon as the whistle blew, there was certainly a competitive edge between the sides as Sholing took early control of the game and were in front after 13 minutes. Marv McLean raced into the box and as he put his cross in, was clattered from behind with the ref pointing to the spot.  ALEX SAWYER took the ball and made no mistake, drilling past Snelling.  

Brad Targett worked space on the edge of the box for a shot, but placed is just wide of the upright.  Hamble came back into the game and had a good spell of pressure, with their best chance created well, putting Wagstaffe into space on the left side of the box, but his attempt to curl the ball past Gosney was just off target.  Balance of play shifted back to Sholing, with Lee Wort denied by the keeper, twice in a minute. Firstly a cute ball into the box saw him in space, but Snelling smothered his shot at close range. Next Wort tried a low skimming shot from 25 yards, that Snelling watched carefully all the way to save.

On 33 minutes, the Boatmen had their second goal. A freekick near the half way line was put into the box at pace by Sawyer and met by DAN MASON, outjumping his marker and connecting with a glorious 15 yard flick header that gave the keeper no chance as it found the net.  Goal number 42 for D-Dan.  Sholing's tails were up and were playing some lovely stuff, passing the ball around at pace and stretching the Hamble defence.  Brad Targett showed quick feet to work an opening in the box, but Snelling saved well. Then Lee Wort saw his effort inside the 6 yard box somehow blocked on the line by a combination of the keeper & defender.

Sholing's excellent first half was capped by a brilliant goal on 37 minutes. A swift move down the right wing ended with the ball finding BRAD TARGETT on the left side of the penalty area, 18 yards out. The 17 year old, took a touch and as calm as you like, curled a perfectly weighted shot into the far top corner for the 14th goal of his first full season.  Barry Mason drove past a defender to shoot just over, but it was very much the Boatmen's half. HT 3-0

With the temperature only just above freezing, the break gave spectators & players alike a chance to warm up a little, but the cold continued to bite in a second half that from Sholing's perspective, was more about controlling the game than going flat out for more goals.  Hamble improved their shape in the second half and had a good chance to score on 51 mins, but Gosney came quickly off his line to block. The Monks then won a freekick on the edge of the box, but the effort was put wide. However, despite their improved play, Hamble still found themselves up against the ever reliable Dan Miller & Pete Castle in the heart of the ever impressive, Sholing defence.

On the hour mark, once again, Lee Wort was frustrated by Snelling saving his effort, although this time he parried it to Dan Mason and it was a bit of a shock when D-Dan put the rebound outside the post.   The exertions of the game on a heavy pitch was telling on both sets of players, with several going down with cramp and a nasty moment when PJ McLean was felled by a fiercely struck ball to the face. He was ok to carry on, but Sholing utilised their 3 subs to see the game out.  It did allow Jake Hoole to come on and give a tired defence more problems as he ran at them and saw a shot well saved late on.  Bradey Norton also had a short cameo, sending a Hamble player for a hotdog, but his shot towards the near post was smothered. 

Boatmen chalked up their 24th clean sheet in all competitions (40 games), 130 goals scored and to make it 13 wins out of 13 home league games.  There is a whole host of other impressive stats as Sholing show no sign of dropping the high standards they have set for themselves this season.  FT 3-0

Next Game :  Fareham Town v Sholing - Saturday 26 Jan 3pm - Wessex Premier