Scorers : Dan Mason 25, Byron Mason 40

Date : Saturday 7th October 2017 - 3pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue : Victoria Park

Bournemouth : Nick Thomas, Ali Falkhal, Aziz Aldhayan, Sean Leadbetter, Manny Ohameje, Jamie Wilson, Charlie Gilbert, Husam Aurow, Saadi Fawzi [c], Sami Makhloufi, Shiv Roushbairi. Subs used: Eder Batista, Chris Speers.

Yellow Card : Ali Falkhal

Sholing : Jamie Bray, TJ Cuthbertson, Jack Smith, Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Kev Brewster (Owen Royl 58), Barry Mason, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Bradey Norton (Marlon Mason 77), Jamie Bulpitt.  Subs not used : Owen Roundell, Alex Sawyer

Yellow Card :  Barry Mason, TJ Cuthbertson

Attendance : 54 (approx 20 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Jack Smith

Referee : Cihan Gecmez  Assistants : Craig Sandoe & Kamil Balin

Boatmen picked up a comfortable win at a notorious bogey ground, thanks to two first half goals by Dan & Byron Mason.

Team News : Ryan Gosney missed out due to injury, so a year after joining the club as goalkeeping coach, Jamie Bray made his debut between the sticks.  There was also the surprise, but welcome return of Pete Castle, who last played first team football in January.  Lee Wort & Marv were unavailable, so Jack Smith came in at left back and Bradey Norton & Barry Mason, supported Dan up front, with Kev Brewster starting in midfield along side Byron & Bulpitt.

On an overcast day, the Poppies pitch was looking in need of a cut as, sadly, Non League Day didn't look as though it had swelled the attendance at a sparsely populated Victoria Park.  First threat came from Sholing as a Dan Mason shot from just outside the area took a deflection, but dropped onto the roof of the net. On 15 mins, Kev Brewster's delivery from a freekick on the right, somehow evaded a couple of Sholing players on the edge of the 6 yard box.  Bradey Norton showed quick feet on the left wing to cut past two defenders to get to the byline, but his cross was blocked.

Boatmen got their reward for dominating the opening of the game with a goal on 24 minutes.  A freekick on the right wing, saw Kev Brewster put in his usual quality delivery and find the head of DAN MASON who met it perfectly to guide his header across the keeper and into the far corner.   Dan thought he had a penalty 5 minutes later when another diagonal ball into the box was falling at his feet before a challenge from behind saw him go to ground.  The ref waved away the appeals and booked Barry Mason for something he said, although Barry seemed genuinely confused by the official.

Pete Castle up for a corner, flicked his header wide before from another corner kick, Sholing doubled their lead on 40 minutes. Bournemouth failed to clear the initial cross, with Barry Mason winning the ball back beyond the near post, looked up and squared to the unmarked BYRON MASON who from 15 yards, smashed it in.    Dan Mason almost made it three right on half time as he wriggled past a defender and his angled shot towards the far corner was tipped round by Thomas.  HT 0-2

Second half started with the home team looking as though they had a rocket up them in the changing room, which made it a more even game in midfield.  It prompted Dave Diaper to send on Owen Royl for Kev Brewster after 58 mins as the game got bogged down around the centre circle with not much being created at either end of the pitch.

Marlon Mason came on for Norton on 77 mins to make it Four Mason's playing at the same time. Jamie Bray didn't have much to do in his first game, but collected a tame shot and watched Bournemouth's best opening sail way over his bar.  Pete Castle was looking like he hadn't been away, getting in some good tackles and being as vocal as ever.  It was "Pistol" who came closest to scoring in a drab second half, when in the 82nd minute he arrived at the near post to head a corner inches wide of the upright. 

The Boatmen were able to see out the game to take home three points that so often had eluded us on this ground.  May not have been the best of games, but considering passing football on that pitch would be a challenge to any team, the result was the priority to stay third in the League.  FT 0-2

Next Game : Ringwood Town v Sholing - Tuesday 10th October 7:45pm - Wessex League Cup