Salisbury 4-2 Sholing

Scorers : Diaz 51 & 69, Goodship 60, Fitchett 81  /  Rob Flooks 58, Owen Roundell 79

Date: Saturday 23 July 2022, 3pm – Pre-Season Friendly

Venue:  The Raymond McEnhill Stadium

Sholing players used : Ryan Gosney, Ryan Cluett, Marv McLean, Byron Mason ©, Owen Roundell, Dan Miller, Dom Panesar-Dower, Rob Nicholls, Sami Makhloufi, Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Conor Whiteley, Jake Cope, Josh Batt, Stu Green, Brad Targett, Rob Flooks, Charlie Wagstaffe, Trialist GK

Attendance : 150 (approx 30 Sholing fans)

All the goals came in an end to end second half, after Sholing edged a goaless first period.

A full squad was available as the game got underway at Southern League Premier, Salisbury.  The pitch was in great condition and with the temperatures lower than the previous week, most of the match was played under cloudy skies.

Lee Wort & Dan Mason were quickly closing down the Salisbury back line, forcing them into a number of errors early on, but they escaped without incident.  The first effort on goal came on 24 mins when Wort crossed from the left and Dan Mason flicked it first time goalwards from 6 yards, but straight at the keeper.

From a Sami Makhloufi corner, Rob Flooks met the ball with a header that the keeper punched away from near his line. Sami threaded a nice pass through the defence for Lee Wort to latch onto, but under pressure he prodded a shot wide of the near post.   Boatmen had been better with possession, but the home side created a couple of chances late in the half, both ending with shots flashing across goal and wide.   HT 0-0

Dave Diaper made 7 changes for the restart, with Steve Claridge making none, possibly demonstrating he wanted more from his side.  He got it almost immediately as Salisbury had an overload on our right side of the area and Diaz smacked a rising shot past Gos.

We pulled level soon after when Ryan Cluett's right sided corner found ROB FLOOKS to stoop but get great power in his header from 12 yards to go over the keeper's hands and high into the net.   The lead only lasted a minute, good play on the right by a pacy Salisbury player saw him advance into the box and square for Goodship to knock in unchallenged.

Boatmen gifted possession on 69 mins, allowing Salisbury to break clear from the half way line, with Diaz coolly rolling the ball past an exposed Gosney

We scored our second on 79 mins, Ryan Cluett spotted the run from midfield and lifted the ball over the backline for OWEN ROUNDELL to run into the right channel and with the keeper coming out, he lifted a lovely chip over him and into the goal from 20 yards

But for the second time in the game, straight away, we gifted a goal to Salisbury when an underhit backpass left the trialist goalkeeper, who just that minute come on, absolutely no chance as Fitchett slotted past him. 

Some good and bad things to take away from today, as is the case in any game.  Matched a team from a higher division for long periods, but you can't gift any side the opportunities we did second half and not expect them to take them. FT 4-2

Next Game : Brockenhurst v Sholing - Saturday 30 July 3pm