Sholing1-0FleetTown

Scorer : Dan Mason 47

Date : Wednesday 10th September 2014 - 7:45pm kick off - Southern League South & West

Sholing : Matt Brown, TJ Cuthbertson, Kane Crisp, Mike Byrne, Stuart Mott, Kevin Brewster, Marv McLean, Byron Mason (Capt.), Dan Mason (Jude Nwachukwu 84), Alex Sawyer, Nick Watts.  Unused Subs: Taurean Manders, Macaully Smith, Dan Miller, Braiden Hamilton 

Yellow Card : Mike Byrne 69 

Fleet Town : Ryan Pryce, Gareth Byres, Aaron Bloxall, Ben White (Capt.), Dan Rousell, Lee Bowen, Mark Watkins, Craig Davis, Jack White, Simba Mlambo, Rob Carr.  Subs: Brett Stanley, Harry Davies, Jordan Carter, Craig Stanley, Jordan Westbrook

Attendance : 125

BSA Regal Man of the Match : Alex Sawyer  bsaregallogo

Referee : Michael L Taylor.  Assistants : Colin Hopkins & Bruce Waymark

Sholing got back to winning ways thanks to a Dan Mason second half goal. On 47 minutes Nick Watts put in a terrific right wing cross and Mason stooped to head home from 6 yards.  After a run of league defeats and conceding lots of goals, the Boatmen will be glad of all three points with a confidence boosting clean sheet as well.   

Team news : Mick Marsh and Dave Fear only made one change from the starting 11 that suffered the heavy defeat at Merthyr on Saturday as Alex Sawyer came in for the injured Barry Mason. Lewis Fennemore, Jack Smith, Pete Castle and Alex Baldacchino all remain out injured.

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The game started in slow, open fashion, with the first action coming after 5 minutes when referee Michael Taylor turned Fleet down what seemed to be a penalty after number 9 Jack White was hauled down as he ran into the Sholing penalty area. But even with the slow start it was Sholing who had the better of the attacking play and soon after the penalty appeal Byron Mason hit a strike over the crossbar after being set up by Marvin McLean who had surged his way down the left hand side to create the pass. A few minutes later Kevin Brewster had ‘keeper Ryan Pryce working after a well delivered ball allowed Brewster to head towards the target. Less than 60 seconds later Brewster had another opportunity, but his far out effort was always rising over the bar.

Fleet then came back with a brief offensive spell of their own and after they had a corner cleared, Jack White beat Matt Brown with a low bobbling shot that hit the post, but Brown did better to deal with the follow up shot which the Sholing shot-stopper did well to meet low, and prevent the corner.

Nick Watts had another decent game for the Boatmen and his first attempt was caught as the number 11 managed to scoop the ball towards the goal while turning, but power was sacrificed during the action, which allowed the catch to be easily made. Sholing then had two corners in as many minutes, the second coming after Fleet ‘keeper Ryan Pryce showed great reactions after a beautiful slipped pass found a red and white shirt.

True to the style of this game, it took just under 10 minutes for the next real chance to materialise, as a corner delivered well by Kevin Brewster found Mike Byrne in the middle of the box, just outside the 6 yard area, but the centre back narrowly headed over the bar when it looked more likely he would score, it turned out to be the last real action of the first half HT 0-0

Straight after the restart, the game got its only goal, a Matt Brown goal kick found its way to Nick Watts high up the field, who took the ball into the right corner to hold up and wait for support. He then delivered a pristine low ball towards Dan Mason who got down low and showed great skill to adjust himself to an awkward position to head past the helpless goalkeeper, who was left stunned between the sticks.

After the goal, Fleet started to come forward more, but all the pressure was easily swallowed up by the Sholing setup which had sat deeper since they had taken the lead. But it was the Boatmen who had the next best opportunity, Nick Watts showed initiative to break following a Fleet attack, and after he had won a throw in, Alex Sawyer saw his brilliantly executed volley deflected wide for a corner, which was subsequently claimed by the goalkeeper after he had initially fumbled the ball.

Then Fleet had their first and only real opportunity as number 10 Simba Mlambo, who had caused a few problems for TJ Cuthbertson in the first, ran through on goal after being found well, but Matt Brown spread well to deny the winger, who got the last touch of the ball before it went out of play meaning Sholing had also avoided the corner.

Byron Mason then had a fantastic opportunity to double the lead having been found brilliantly, but as the captain tried to control the ball it just wouldn’t fall for him for what would have been a simple tap in, a couple of minutes later Sholing had another frustrating moment as Nick Watts seemly goal bound effort was blocked by Dan Mason after Watts had showed great movement inside the area, leaving Watts and team-mate left wondering what could have been.

Then it took a fantastic stop from Pryce to keep Sholing out again after Dan Mason was found in acres of space inside the penalty area, but his powerful close-range attempt was pushed away by the diving goalkeeper.

After that the game fizzled out, Fleet failed to capitalise of Sholing’s slight lead, despite a series of half chances which were not utilised, but for Mick Marsh and Dave Fear’s men the tight win was just what the doctor ordered following the weekends heavy defeat. FT 1-0

Report by Ollie Maskell

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