Sholing2 1BristolManorFarm

Scorers : Stuart Green 35 & 77 / Jordan Metters 52

Date: Saturday 12th October 2019 - 3:00pm - Buildbase FA Trophy Preliminary Round

Venue: Mackoy Stadium

MackoyLogoWhite1000

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marv McLean, Owen Roundell, Dan Miller, Stuart Green, Brad Targett, Alex Sawyer (James Lauder 78), Dan Mason, Bryon Mason © (Owen Royl 83), Jake Hoole (Marlon Mason 75). Unused Subs: Jack Nicholas & Aidan Radford

Yellow Cards: Alex Sawyer

Bristol Manor Farm: Ben John, Tyler Ashmead, Mason Winter, Joshua Nelmes, Steven Kingdon ©, Ashley Kington, Jamie Adams, Lloyd Mills, Jordan Metters, Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist, Stuart Tovey.  Subs : Jamie Bird, Lewis Bamford, Troy Walters, Iain Harvey, Liam Jacques

Yellow Cards: Ben John

Attendance: 112

Referee: Lewis Sandoe  Assistants: Tim Godfrey & Derek Pratt

clarkewillmott

Clarke Willmott Man of the Match : Stuart Green

Stuart Green had a dream debut, grabbing a brace for the Boatmen as we advance in the FA Trophy with victory over Bristol Manor Farm. The new signing opened his account with a well taken goal in the first half and then popped up with the winner with 13 mins to go, but his all round play also caught the eye.  Despite heavy rain for the entire 90 mins, it was a thoroughly entertaining game to watch and one that Sholing deserved to win for the deluge of chances they created.

Team News: Jamie Bulpitt missed out with an ankle injury and Dean Faithfull was unavailable, but there was a first start for Stuart Green ("Greener"). The attacking midfielder had barely kicked a ball in anger this season, so it was unclear how long he would last on a heavy pitch (he ended up playing the full 90!). After a lot of shuffling in the defence recently, the back four had a more familiar look about it with TJ & Marv in their usual full back roles.  Dan Mason was making his 400th appearance for the club, he has scored a remarkable 208 goals in that time!  Congratulations D-Dan!

It was a quiet start to the afternoon with both teams getting adjusted to the wet pitch following constant downpours. Bristol Manor Farm’s Jamie Adam’s low shot skidded off the surface and rolled harmlessly wide, before Sholing had a succession of corners that came to nothing. However, it was the home side that created the first clear-cut opportunity of the afternoon.

Good interplay meant Alex Sawyer found himself in space down the right and squared the ball into the path of Dan Mason, the striker hit a first time shot straight at the legs of Bristol Manor Farm keeper Ben John. There were further chances for the Boatmen in quick succession as Marv McLean's shot towards the near post was pushed round it by Ben John, then debutant Stuart Green’s in-swinging cross was tipped over by the keeper before several shots in and around the area were blocked by a stubborn away defence that seemed to be getting in the way of everything.

Jake Hoole then fired wide from close range on the half-hour mark, before an effort from Stuart Green took a deflection off the heel of a defender and smacked the crossbar on its way to safety. Just when the home fans thought the ball was never going into the net, Sholing took the lead in the 35th minute through their latest signing. Jake Hoole broke through and played the ball into the path of STUART GREEN to smash home with a first time left foot finish from 12 yards, high into the middle of the goal.

Bristol Manor Farm responded with a couple of half chances in the final ten minutes of the half. Firstly Ashley Kington fired over the bar from distance before Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist tricked his way into the box, fainted to shoot a couple of times, with his eventual effort curling wide. HT: 1-0

With heavy rain on an increasingly slippery pitch, it was almost inevitable that yellow cards would occur. Alex Sawyer picked up the first one in the fiftieth minute when he slipped into a tackle and sparked a brief fracas involving players from both sides. Although the referee dealt with the situation with common sense, but he appeared to be a bit generous giving the visitors another freekick just outside the Sholing area, straight afterwards, and they took full advantage.

The 25 yard free kick was taken by Jordan Metters and his effort curled into the back of the net off the post as Bristol Manor Farm equalised. There was a short stoppage as Gosney received attention as he clattered into the upright trying to make the save, but he was ok to continue. With the score-line level, the visitors seemed to grow in confidence and they created two chances in very quick succession as they sought to gain the lead. Ashley Kington saw a powerful shot blocked off the line from a set piece before Jamie Adams broke through and saw a tame chipped effort saved for a corner by Ryan Gosney moments later.

Sholing were still creating chances in an end-to-end encounter. Bradley Targett and Jake Hoole saw shots blocked at source, before Byron Mason had a shot tipped over the bar. Then Jake Hoole was played in on the left side of the box and his goalbound effort just nicked off a defender into the side netting.  In the 77th minute, Sholing went back in front. A fine run by TJ Cuthbertson created space for the right-back to play a low ball across the corridor of uncertainty. The Bristol keeper parried it out via a deflection into the path of STUART GREEN who showed quick reactions to stab it goalwards and it looped up just under the crossbar.

Manor Farm piled on the pressure and nearly equalised when Ashley Kington sent a fiercely-struck effort towards the top corner. However, Ryan Gosney pulled off a great save by tipping the shot onto the crossbar, before having to be alert with a bouncing effort from Troy Walters. On the counter Stuart Green was looking for a hat-trick as he went through and Dan Mason a goal on his 400th appearance, but both were denied by Ben John. With 5 minutes of added time played, Sholing held on for a deserved but hard-fought victory in the FA Trophy and picked up £2,250 from the prize fund.  The draw for the First Qualifying Round is made on Monday (games to be played 26 October). FT: 2-1

Dave Diaper said afterwards : "Great performance from the lads to beat Bristol Manor Farm in the FA Trophy and a great start for debutant Greener. It’s still a work in progress, but we will get there."

Report by Connor Steel

Next Games : Sholing v Bideford - Saturday 19 October 3pm - Southern League

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://sholingfc.co.uk/index.php/first-team/fixtures/25-2019-20-match-reports/533-sholing-2-1-bristol-manor-farm#sigProIdf7c81dd534