Scorers : Jack Hoey 21  /  Alex Sawyer 90+3

Date : Thursday 1st January 2015 - 3:00pm kick off - Evo-stik League Southern, South & West Division 1

Bashley : Kenny Vaughan, Joe Petty, Dan Maher, Brad Morris, Chris Hall [c], Lewis Aimson, Clive Makoni (Mitchell Speechly-Price 79), Ashley Booker, Leighton Speechley-Price (Bouwe Bosma 51), Jack Hoey, Nuno Pereira (Aaron Dunne 68).  Subs no used:  James Lambourne, James Keith.

Yellow Card : 

Sholing: Jordan Brooks, Kevin Brewster, Liam Golding, TJ Cuthbertson, Dan Miller, Macaully Smith (Declan McCarthy 57) Barry Mason [c], Alex Sawyer, Sam Wilson, Byron Mason, Jess Walklin.  Subs not used: Dan Mason, Taurean Manders, Josh Oxlade, Rory Anderson.

Yellow Card :  Jess Walklin 37

Attendance : 175

Man of the Match :  Alex Sawyer

Referee :  Anthony Foster.  Assistants: Jonathan Dolbear & Rudi Burton

Alex Sawyer's last gasp goal salvaged a point for the Boatmen in a scrappy match as the injury problems meant debuts for several youngsters.

Team News: Rory Anderson was still unable to start the game in goal, so 17 year old Jordan Brooks got the nod for his second appearance as Lee Webber was away up north with family for New Year.  After impressive performances this season in the reserves, Liam Golding and Macaully Smith made their first starts, whilst new signing Declan McCarthy was on the bench.  Jack Smith was serving the first of his 3 game ban. Nine members of the Sholing squad were 21 or under.

It was our third trip to Bashley this season and another sizeable number of Sholing fans made the short trip to the New Forest to boost the attendance.  The pitch was heavy in most places, but there was also a very strong wind blowing straight down the ground (from left to right as you looked from the main stands).  The Ultras were challenged to a sing-off with the Bashley Choir and were making their usual lot of noise to at least win that contest for the Boatmen. Sholing kicked off with the wind behind them and made an encouraging start. Passing the ball around as best they could on the surface and the first effort on goal was a shot on the run by Sam Wilson that went over the angle of post and bar.  Bashley's first attempt was a routine save for Brooks.  Liam Golding got forward down the left wing, cut back onto this right foot and crossed into the 6 yard box, where somehow, no Sholing head could convert. 

The home side then grabbed the lead when Jack Hoey collected the ball on the edge of the box and his shot deflected off a defender's leg, looped up in the air, leaving Brooks a bit flat flooted and the ball spun over his head and into the net.  Sholing went back down the other end from the re-start and Jess Walklin had an effort tipped over the bar at his near post by the Bashley keeper.  The Boatmen continued to press hard, but were getting caught offside too often and were perhaps trying to play it too much on the edge of the area, meaning the keeper wasn't getting tested.  The wind had increased in strength meaning the Bashley keeper was struggling to kick it further than 35 yards from his goal, or it was curling straight into touch.  At halftime, Sholing had the possession, but more importantly, Bashley had the lead. HT 1-0

The wind seemed even stronger for the Second half and Bashley nearly doubled their lead when a low cross evaded everyone in the six yard box and went out for a goalkick.  The game was stopped for 4 or 5 minutes when Speechly-Price went down and was stretchered off, but later it was confirmed he wasn't too badly injured.  Dave Diaper threw on new signing Declan McCarthy into central midfield to try to change things.  Sam Wilson had his trailing leg taken from him and went down in the box, but the ref was having none of it.  The sing-off between the two sets of fans fizzled out a bit, much like the game.

Sadly for those Sholing fans watching, the game then entered a long spell of little excitement, in fact, no excitement.  There was no penetration from the Boatmen and on the rare occasion we did get in behind on the flanks, the ball into the box was poor.  Bashley were looking comfortable mopping up our advances and doing enough to keep the game at a slow tempo.  As the game went into the last 10 minutes, the home side had a couple of chances, the best being an effort at the near post from a cross that flew inches wide.  In all honesty, it looked like Sholing would never score and the home fans were getting ready to celebrate only their second win of the season.... when out of nothing, the Boatmen equalised!   After finally getting a few bodies forward deep in added time, the ball broke to ALEX SAWYER on the edge of the box, who hit a low left foot shot back across the keeper, leaving him with his weight going to the right and the ball bobbled into the net. FT 1-1

View from the Stand: As the second half progressed, I couldn't see us getting anything from this game, so the point is very welcome.  Wasn't much else to take away from it, although we have to remember we were without a possible nine first team players and were forced into debuts for three.  Those three all did ok, but wasn't a game for anyone to stand out.  With a tough game 48 hours later at Didcot, Dave Diaper was very glad to have not picked up anymore injuries and get a point.