Scorers : Louis Coulson 48

Date: Saturday 20th January 2018 3:00pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue: Universal Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Owen Royl, Marvin McLean, Pete Castle (Owen Roundell, 81’), Dan Miller, Jack Smith (Jean-Luc Ramdin, 70’), TJ Cuthbertson, Byron Mason (c), Lee Wort, Alex Sawyer, Jamie Bulpitt (Dan Mason, 81’). Subs not used: Kevin Brewster, Marlon Mason

Yellow Cards: TJ Cuthbertson

Bournemouth Poppies: Jake Poynter, Aziz Aldahayan, Lewis Harvey, Liam Donachy, Tom Mallett, Chris Spears, Charlie Gilbert (Nasim Meddah58), Chia Khider, Fawzi Saadi (c), Lewis Coulson, Manny Ohameje. Subs not used: Rooeen Farhadi, Alexandro Gaona, Djamel Meddah

Yellow Card: Tom Mallett, Lewis Harvey, Liam Donachy

Attendance: 93

Man of the Match: Alex Sawyer

Referee: Robert Walczak, Assistants: Chloe-Anne Anderson & Chris Bull

An unfortunate mistake by the Sholing defence lead to a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth Poppies in a game the Boatmen totally dominated and did not deserve to lose.

Team News: With TJ Cuthbertson returning from holiday and replacing Marlon Mason. Sholing made three changes from the Bashley side that won 1-0 last week goal hero Owen Royl replaced Owen Roundell and Dan Mason also dropped down to the bench. Marvin McLean returned from his four match suspension. Jean-Luc Ramdin also returned from holiday to replace Duncan Brown on the bench following his dual signing to Midhurst FC.

In heavy rain and challenging conditions, Sholing dominated the first half that saw them create many chances which include eleven corners with Ryan Gosney a spectator in the Sholing goal as proved by his pristine kit at half time. The first chance was a header in the 2^nd minute from Byron Mason that was deflected over the bar, but the crossing ability of Alex Sawyer caused many problems for the Poppies’ defence as the half wore on.

In the 18^th minute a rising shot by Lee Wort was saved by the Bournemouth goalkeeper Jake Poynter, before a header by Dan Miller hit the post from the resulting corner taken by Alex Sawyer. In the 19^th minute, the Poppies’ goalkeeper saved an angled shot by TJ Cuthbertson low down. On the half hour Jamie Bulpitt picked out centre forward Lee Wort but the Sholing hitman drags his shot wide.

Sholing dominated the remainder of the first half but struggled to create clear-cut chances. However, Jamie Bulpitt was put through in the 32^nd minute but fired wide from an angle and two Sholing corners by Alex Sawyer were both headed over the bar. As half time approach Dan Miller had his header punched away by keeper Poynter on the line. HT 0-0

Despite Bournemouth Poppies not attacking much in the first half, they took a surprise lead in the 48^th minute through LOUIS COULSON. An under hit back pass from full back Marvin McLean stuck in the mud in front of Ryan Gosney, leaving him stranded and allowing the striker to go round him and tap into the empty net.

Full credit to Sholing they did not let the goal disrupt their control of the game and set pieces were particularly successful in creating chances. Firstly Byron Mason headed over the bar from an Alex Sawyer free kick, before Sawyer’s corners led to two goal-line scrambles in both the 67^th and 68^th minute. Sholing’s best chance of the second half came from Jamie Bulpitt, who saw a volley from 25 yards out hit the crossbar in the 69^th minute after the defence cleared a corner away. Jean-Luc Ramdin was introduced to replace Jack Smith on 70 minutes.

Bournemouth Poppies could have made it 2-0 in the 71^st minute with a counter attack that was fired wide by the attacker without even troubling Ryan Gosney. This was the only shot, aside from the goal, that the Poppies had in the second half.

Sholing were becoming more and more frustrated by Bournemouth’s defensive rearguard & timewasting and an off the ball incident lead to a short melee in the 75^th minute, but no cards were shown. With ten minutes remaining Pete Castle saw his header scrambled off the line. This was the last piece of action for the Sholing defender as Dave Diaper made a final change with a double substitution of Owen Roundell & Dan Mason replacing Pete Castle and Jamie Bulpitt

Two other Sholing chances came before the end of the game, with Bryon Mason thumping the post in the 87^th minute and a Dan Mason's low shot well saved by Jake Poynter in added time.

Ultimately Sholing came up short on a muddy Universal Stadium pitch in a match that was completely the opposite of our win over Bashley last weekend. It certainly wasn't down to a lack of effort, with the stats reading Sholing hitting the post on four occasions and the crossbar once and a total of twenty five corners eleven in the first half and fourteen in the second half and two goal bound efforts cleared off the line showed Sholing’s dominance, but with no reward. FT 0-1

Match Report by Connor Steel

Next Game : Newport IW v Sholing - Tuesday 23 Jan 7:45 - Wessex League Cup

Photos courtesy of Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)