Scorers :  Barry Mason 11, Dan Mason 50   /   Steve Hutchings 43, 67, Tom McInnes 70

Date : Wednesday 12th August 2015 - 7:45pm kick off - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Kevin Brewster (Dean Faithful 71), James Davis (Lewis Kelly 71), Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Jack Smith, Barry Mason, Jamie Bulpitt (Tobi Adekunle 79), Dan Mason, Byron Mason [c] Marvin McLean.  Subs not used: Jack Shiner, Owen Roundell

Yellow Card : Byron Mason 90

Moneyfields : Gary Streeter, Curtis Da Costa, Ryan Inskip, Jack Lee, Arron Cook, Toby McCauley, Alfie Rutherford, Jake Raine, Tom McInnes, Steve Hutchings [c] (Mark Cotton 80), Conor Bailey.  Subs not used: Ryan Pennary, Tyler Giddings, Joe Hunt

Yellow Card : 

Attendance : 132

Man of the Match : Marv McLean

Referee : Derek Pratt  Assistants: Nigel Gibbens & Steve Wyatt

Sholing slumped to a second disappointing result in as many games with a 3-2 defeat to Moneyfields in an end to end game. Kevin Brewster had initially put the Boatmen in front and just after half time Dan Mason restored the lead after Ryan Gosney had gifted the away side an equaliser. The truth is, Sholing struggled overall in the first home game of the season at the Silverlake Arena.

Team News : Alex Sawyer missed out through injury, so in came Jamie Bulpitt into midfield.  James Davis slotted in at left back, with Kev Brewster on the right.  Jack Shiner & Dean Faithfull dropped to the bench.

Steve Claridge and what looked like half the Managers from the Wessex League were in attendance, as well as a sizeable number of ex-Sholing players. Sholing were nearly ahead on four minutes, when Barry Mason thumped a long ball towards brother Dan, the younger brother was favourite to steal the ball first ahead of the galloping Jack Lee. But as the Moneyfields defender used his head to edge ahead of Mason he accidentally nodded past the onrushing Gary Streeter in the Moneys goal. Lee managed to recover but it displayed an obvious lack of communication in the back-line.

Moneyfields then had a few close calls of their own at the other end but couldn’t make any clear cut chances, and just 11 minutes in they were made to pay. An enticing McLean run won a corner for the Boatmen, and from the resulting Kevin Brewster vicious inswinging corner into a mass of bodies in the 6 yard box, it appeared to take a flick off BARRY MASON and in off a Moneyfields defender and that was enough to put Sholing ahead.

After that the game sort of took on no purpose, with a lot of snuffed out long balls and failed attacks. Set pieces looked the best way to threaten the goal and from another Brewster corner, Pete Castle saw his towering header cleared off the line. Just after the half-hour mark Dan Mason came close, but saw his strike go all the way across goal and past the far post.  Marv McLean had the beating of the Moneyfields right back a couple of times, so it was a surprise that he wasn't given more of the ball as Sholing concentrated their attacks down the middle or right.

Moneyfields were not making many chances, Alfie Rutherford saw his effort from inside the box stopped by the foot of the quick-reflexed Ryan Gosney. Captain Steve Hutchings managed to get alone with Ryan Gosney, but as he weaved and twisted Dan Miller recovered and made a fantastic block.

As half time bared down, Moneyfields had a corner, Steve Hutchings connected and looked to have been denied by Gosney, but the Sholing keeper didn’t hold the ball and ended up spilling it into his own net, much to the disbelief of the Sholing fans.

The last action of the first half saw Dan Mason connect to another good pass, only to see his tame effort turned away by the keeper. HT 1-1

The second half got underway with the fans hoping to see a better second 45 of football. Sholing were looking to deliver that promise, and started in the most perfect way. DAN MASON got himself into the most awkward position to connect with a sweet cross, but under great pressure, he somehow generated power & accuracy from his header to put Sholing back in front.   The lead should have been extended a minute later when Marv twisted the fullback inside out and squared to Barry Mason 10 yards out, but he blazed wildy over.

Alfie Rutherford tried to come up with his own response, striking a shot from 25 yards out, that forced Gosney to put the ball out for a corner.

Sholing were on top, so the next 5 minutes were a real shock to the system as Moneyfields turned the game on its head.  The prolific Steve Hutchings popped up in the middle of the box to smack in a delightful cross from the left to level the score. And just 3 minutes later Moneyfields had the lead. A cross from the other wing may have taken a knock off of Tom McInnes on its way in, but there were also suggestions that the ball floated straight in untouched.

Sholing responded by throwing everything they could at Moneys, making 3 attacking substitutes within 10 minutes. But the away side were sitting deep and looked likely to defend their lead in the latter stages. Dan Miller forced another diving header block off the line from a corner, as Sholing continued to apply pressure.

As Sholing tried to gain every advantage they could Byron Mason found himself in trouble for giving a little too much to the referee. But it reflected a frustrated Sholing side who were struggling all round. They had a couple of corners late on. But the game ended before Sholing could grab an equaliser. FT 2-3

Report by Ollie Maskell

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)

• Wall Wall
• Marv McLean Marv McLean
• Barry Mason puts Sholing in front Barry Mason puts Sholing in front
• Dan waits for support Dan waits for support
• Gosney saves Gosney saves
• Barry looks for options Barry looks for options
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