Sholing2 1HambleClub

Scorers :  Dan Mason 19, Barry Mason 82  /  Liam Crook 8

Date : Tuesday 29th August 2017 - 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue : Universal Stadium

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marv McLean, Owen Roundell, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt, Alex Sawyer (Owen Royl 84), Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Barry Mason (Zac Mouland 86), Connor Kelly (Micky Hubbard 63).  Subs not used : Kev Brewster, Jack Smith

Yellow Card : TJ Cuthbertson, Marv McLean, Jamie Bulpitt & Byron Mason

Hamble Club : Rory Anderson, Ricky Bull, Danny Cox, Jack McCarthy (James Thomson), Mike Byrne, PJ McLean, Ben Kemplen, Liam Crook [c] (Charlie Wagstaffe), Nathan Lynch, Doug Rowe (Jack Barnes), Coby Wilson.  Subs not used : Craig Shrimpton & Matt Troon

Yellow Card : Ricky Bull, Jack Barnes, James Thomson
Red Card : Ricky Bull

Attendance : 242

Man of the Match : Barry Mason

Referee : Andrew Dunn   Assistants : Callum Ward & Paul Hicks

Boatmen edged the local derby with Hamble Club, thanks to a late winner from Barry Mason.  Contest was evenly balanced for most of the match, despite Hamble playing the last 30 minutes with 10 men.

Team News : Byron, Dan Miller & Connor Kelly returned to the starting line-up.  With Lee Wort on holiday, Barry Mason played up top with Dan.  Hamble had a squad full of familiar faces and a few more watching on from the sidelines. In total, 11 of the squad were ex-Sholing players, with all still good friends of the current Boatmen players and in PJ & Marv's case, brothers.

A big crowd gathered at the Universal Stadium for the first ever Wessex Premier League game between the two teams separated by less than 2 miles, and didn't have to wait long for some action as on 8 minutes the visitors took the lead with a superb strike.  Liam Crook found space in midfield and tried his luck from fully 30 yards with his effort curling away from Gosney and into the top corner.

Sholing, after a shaky start, got the equaliser from 19 minutes and it was a now familiar source & execution. TJ played the ball into DAN MASON with his back to goal inside the box, but to the right of the 6 yard box. All Sholing fans knew what would happen next, as did the Hamble defence, but knowing and stopping are two different things and D-Dan spun past his marker and thumped the ball past Rory Anderson and into the roof of the net.

Remainder of the first half was very stop-start, with some niggly fouls and some comings together given as fouls when playing on might have been in the best interest of everyone.  Jamie Bulpitt had a shot from the edge of the area go straight down the throat of Anderson and for Hamble, PJ McLean had a dipping effort from 22 yards, just clear the bar.  HT 1-1

Boatmen had two chances within 5 minutes of the restart. Firstly, Connor Kelly had a freekick 20 yards out, his effort beat the wall, but was comfortable for Anderson.  A minute later, Barry Mason tried his luck from a narrow angle coming in from the left wing, he connected well, but it fizzed across the keeper and wide.  

Hamble appealed for a penalty as Bull went down in the box, the ref blew his whistle, but to book the right back for simulation.  Was to be telling as a few minutes later, Ricky Bull was late in a challenge and Referee, Andrew Dunn, gave him a second yellow with 30 mins still on the clock.  Diapes brought on Hubbard to try to make use of more space in midfield, but Sholing were making hard work of having a man advantage as Hamble increased their work-rate to close the Boatmen down quickly, with PJ McLean controlling the defence.

On 64 minutes, Dan Mason found space in the box, but a combination of Anderson & PJ blocked his effort away.  From a corner soon after, Dan Miller headed goalward at the back post, but Rory Anderson did well to tip it over from underneath his crossbar. Game was still in the balance and Hamble had a good opening when Doug Rowe checked into space, but fired his shot wide of the far post when well placed. 

Sholing were being backed loudly by the Ultras, but the game had the feel of a draw as it entered the final 10 minutes.  However, on 82 mins, Marv McLean fed BARRY MASON to drive into the box from the left, commit Anderson and slot past the keeper and just beyond the despairing dive of PJ on the line.

There was late drama in the 6th minute of added time as Hamble threw everyone up for a corner and found the back of the net, but the Referee immediately blew for a handball against Thomson.  Sholing were very relieved to hear the final whistle to make it 4 wins on the bounce.  FT 2-1

Next Game : Blackfield & Langley v Sholing - Saturday 2nd September 3pm - Wessex Prem

Photos courtesy of Ray Routledge