Scorers :  Pete Castle 41, Dean Faithfull 47  /  Michael Dixon 38

Date : Wednesday 4th August 2015 - 7:45pm kick off - Friendly

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Kevin Brewster, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Jack Smith, Alex Sawyer, Jamie Bulpitt, Barry Mason, Byron Mason, Dan Mason, Marv McLean.  Subs Used : Dean Faithfull, Mike Spinney, Lewis Kelly, Jack Shiner, Liam Golding, Tobi Adekunle

Yellow Card :

Petersfield Town : Matt Shortt (Charlie Searle), Ben Buckland, Sean Wain (Liam Flanighan), Danny Boyle (Stuart Green), Dan Sackman (Lewis Hyde), Jamie Ford, Joe Richardson (Jason Silver), Alek Przelpoleski (Luke Walker), Michael Dixon, Joe Briggs (Jordan Neal), Mike McEnery (Will Essai)

Yellow Card : 

Attendance : 89

Man of the Match : Byron Mason

Referee : Mike Desborough  Assistant Referees: Connor Meyes & Declan Hellyer

Boatmen finished our pre-season preparations with a good win over current Wessex League Champions, Petersfield Town.  In a high tempo, competitive game, both sides received a good workout ahead of the big kick-off on Saturday.

Sholing started the quicker of the two sides, with Byron Mason acting as a target man, but supported well on the flanks by Barry Mason & Marv McLean.  The speed of Sholing's attacks were unsettling the visitors, although the best opportunity early on, came from a long throw into the box which put Byron into the clear, but he was stretching as he hit it and the keeper was able to save with his feet as he went to ground.   Marv was having some success down the left wing, but a good cross in the box flashed just ahead of the incoming Sholing forwards.  It was on the other flank that Dan Mason created some space, he cut back a cross to the edge of the area that Marv dummied to the oncoming Alex Sawyer, but his shot lacked power to trouble the keeper.

Petersfield had rarely gone forward in the half, but on 38 minutes, Michael Dixon was allowed far too much time and space 22 yards out, he was invited to shoot and he duely did, with a fierce shot that whizzed past the motionless Ryan Gosney and into the top corner.   However, two minutes later, PETE CASTLE had stayed up following a cleared corner and a high cross from the right wing found the head of the centre-half and headed down & past the keeper.  HT 1-1

Start of the second half saw a number of changes for both sides, one of those saw Dean Faithfull come on and he made an instant impact.  Straight from the kick off and Barry Mason was played in behind the defence, he dinked an effort past the on-rushing keeper, but it was hacked clear of the far post for a corner.  Barry took the corner to the far post where DEAN FAITHFULL rose highest to head in past the stranded keeper.

Petersfield started to grow into the game, upping their tempo of midfield play, but were let down by some wild shooting when in good positions.  Lewis Kelly showed good skill to turn a defender inside out on the edge of the box, but his toe-poked effort was comfortably saved.  The visitors dominated the final 15 minutes of the game, but despite a few flurries around the area, they didn't force Ryan Gosney into a serious save as the Boatmen defenders kept control.  Sholing almost grabbed a third on the breakaway, but not for the first time tonight, the effort was straight at the keeper, this time from Jack Smith.  FT 2-1

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

• The Flying Brewster The Flying Brewster
• Ryan Gosney Ryan Gosney
• Sawyer leaps like a Salmon Sawyer leaps like a Salmon
• Marv McLean Marv McLean
• Tussle Tussle
• Good form by Baz Good form by Baz
• Pete Castle heads the equaliser Pete Castle heads the equaliser
• Pete Castle heads the equaliser Pete Castle heads the equaliser
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