Scorers : Dan Mason 90+3  /  Steve Hall 30,  Tom Sands 49

Date : Friday 4th August 2017 - 7:45pm - FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Jack Smith, Byron Mason, Dan Miller, Micky Hubbard, Alex Sawyer, Connor Kelly (Barry Mason 66), Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jamie Bulpitt.  Subs not used: Owen Royl, Bradey Norton, Zac Mouland, Kevin Brewster & Jamie Bray

Yellow Card : Jamie Bulpitt, Lee Wort, Byron Mason
Red Card : Alex Sawyer

Alresford Town : Daniel Kempson, John Cole, Sam Burt, Simon Everett, Lukas McCartney, Sam Doswell, Scott Munro, Chris Mason [c], Tom Sands, Aaron Blaxall, Steve Hall.  Subs : Dave Parry, Matt Andrews, Brad Benson, Geoff Dunn, Scott Gilham, Mike Weatherall

Yellow Card : ?
Red Card : Lukas McCartney

Attendance : 302

Man of the Match : Jack Smith

Referee : Craig Finean   Assistants : Matthew Sells & Craig Sandoe

Sholing crashed out of the FA Cup in a bad tempered match that was more stop, than start.  An early penalty miss set the tone for Sholing as the lively visitors took their chances, with the Boatmen unable to work the Alresford keeper enough to deserve going through.

Team News : Marv was unavailable so Jack Smith played at left back.  Byron remained at Centre back.

A big crowd were making the most of a pleasant summer's evening as Sholing entered the pitch in their smart new Kappa kit.  With Dave Diaper on holiday, Marc Diaper took charge.  An even start to the game seemed to turn in Sholing's favour on 9 minutes when Lee Wort advanced into the box, was tackled from behind and the ref pointed to the spot.  Dan Mason hit his effort to the keeper's left, but Kempson guessed correctly and made a good stop.

The match was starting to get more physical and niggly. Alresford, on and off the pitch, were taking appealing to the officials to a new level by hotly contesting every single decision.  However, when they focused on their football, they took the lead on 30 minutes. Before being closed down by a hesitant Sholing defence, Steve Hall fired a shot across Gosney that found the far corner.

Rest of the first half was free of goalmouth action, with a couple of stoppages for injuries to Alresford players and a lot of needless freekicks by both sides.  HT 0-1

The next goal was going to be hugely important and it was Alresford who got it on 49 minutes. Tom Sands cut in from the left wing and his effort from the edge of the box seemed to wrong foot Gosney who could only watch as the ball rolled inside the post.

You could sense Sholing's frustration and that boiled over on 65 minutes when a simple pass towards Alex Sawyer was underhit and the midfielder lunged two footed into a challenge with Sam Burt that saw the Alresford left back come off a lot worse and spark both teams squaring off.  Was a straight red card for Sawyer and also Lukas McCartney got his marching orders for raising his hands in the scuffle that ensued.  Sam Burt left the ground in an Ambulance, with reports saying no break, but some ligament damage. All the best to him for a speedy recovery.

After a delay of 6 minutes, the game got underway again, but remained on a knife-edge, temper wise. Bulpitt being the latest to be pulled away from a melee.  Alresford continued to play the more incisive football and Gosney did well to save an effort with his legs.   Took until 73 mins for the Boatmen to force the keeper into a save from open play, and it was a very good one as Kempson tipped a fierce Lee Wort shot over the bar. 

In the 3rd minute of added time, a freekick on the edge of the Alresford box was fired towards goal by Micky Hubbard with it flicking off DAN MASON to spin past the wrong footed keeper.   Wasn't to be a grandstand finish as the Ref blew the final whistle a minute later, despite a huge amount of stoppages in the 2nd half.  FT 1-2

Next Home Game : Sholing v Baffins Milton Rovers - Tuesday 8 August 7:45 - Wessex Prem

Photos by Ray Routledge