Newport1 6Sholing

Scorers : Aurele Beya 31 / Jamie Bulpitt 23, Alex Sawyer 68 & 73, Dan Mason 76, Lee Wort 77 & 79

Date: Tuesday 6th March 2018 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex League Cup Quarter Final

Venue: St Georges Park

Newport IW: Gary Streeter [c], Charlie Butt, Jacob Reynolds, Darren Powell, Martin McDonough, Jared Wetherick, Lewis Wright, Aurele Beya, Charlie Urry, Caleb Charlesworth, Aidan Radford.  Subs : Harrison Yates, Neo Lamb, Jack Turkington

Yellow Cards: Martin McDonough, Jacob Reynolds, Aurele Beya

Sholing:  Ryan Gosney, Jack Smith, Marv McLean, Pete Castle (Owen Roundell 45), Dan Miller, Alex Sawyer, TJ Cuthbertson, Byron Mason [c] (Jake Hoole 72), Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jamie Bulpitt (Owen Royl 45).  Subs not used : Kevin Brewster & Marlon Mason

Yellow Cards: Byron Mason, Marv McLean

Attendance: 78

Man of the Match: Alex Sawyer

Referee: Sean Phillips  Assistants: Andrew Jones & Ben Orton

A devastating spell of five goals in eleven second half minutes, saw Sholing continue their defence of the Sydenhams Wessex League Cup and progress to a Semi-Final place against the winners of Fawley AFC or Hamble Club. A brace each for Alex Sawyer and Lee Wort with Jamie Bulpitt and Dan Mason also scoring, hit Newport for six on a foggy night. 

Team News: Dave Diaper was back in charge and used the same squad that edged out Bemerton Heath ten days ago. Pete Castle and Jack Smith started with Owen’s, Roundell and Royl, dropping to the bench.

Skipper Byron Mason marked the game with his 500th appearance. Also, Jack Smith clocked up his 100th appearance.

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The match kicked off with the pitch shrouded in fog and Newport fielding four seventeen year olds due to players being cup tied. Gary Streeter also had to play in goal due to Andy Payne not being available. The opening minutes were a little scrappy, but it was Marvin McLean who got in behind the Newport defence on the left but his cross found no one. The next piece of action saw referee Phillips having to lecture to Martin McDonough, who seemed intent on getting himself cautioned, however a lecture did suffice.

Sholing took the game to Newport forcing several corners but the early efforts were food and drink to Gary Streeter in the Newport goal. With twelve minutes gone, the best chance for the Boatmen came when TJ Cuthbertson fired in a cross to pick out Dan Mason in the six yard box, but the striker’s effort is straight at the keeper.  On 23 minutes the deadlock was broken when JAMIE BULPITT, out on the right wing, swung the ball into the area and it sailed over the head of Streeter and went right into the far top corner via the post.  Five minutes later it looked as though Sholing were doubling their lead but Dan Miller’s header went agonisingly wide.

Sholing’s lead lasted ten minutes when Newport equalised with a rare, but very effective attack. Aiden Radford got inside the defence and hit a well struck shot which Rayan Gosney could only parry into the path of Aurele Beya leaving the striker a simple tap in for the equaliser. Gary Streeter continued to keep Sholing at bay denying efforts from Dan Mason Lee Wort and TJ Cuthbertson. HT 1-1

As the fog lifted for the start of the second half, Sholing had to make a double substitution with Pete Castle (knee) and Jamie Bulpitt (cut leg) being replaced by Owen Roundell and Owen Royl respectively. Within the first five minute again it was Martin McDonough who caused a stoppage of three minutes following an altercation with Byron Mason resulting in both players receiving a yellow card from referee Phillips after consulting both of his assistants. Newport were clearly getting frustrated and were lucky when a late challenge on Dan Mason went unpunished by the referee, however Aurele Beya was cautioned for a push.

Sholing were fired up for the second half and it was again Dan Mason who saw his shot go just wide with Gary Streeter wrong footed in the Newport goal. Then it was Dan Mason who turned provider and picked out Jack Smith but again the first time shot was just shy of the target. Midway through the second had Sholing finally got their second goal when Marvin McLean saw his shot cleared off the line but the ball fell nicely to ALEX SAWYER who slotted the ball home.

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It was to spark a quite remarkable few minutes of action!...

Two minutes later Sholing had a shout for a goal as the ball appeared to cross the goalline before being cleared by a hand, but neither a goal or penalty was awarded. With twenty minutes remaining Sholing made their final substitution with Skipper Byron Mason curtailing his 500th appearance and being replaced by Jake Hoole. On 73 mins Sholing extend their lead with ALEX SAWYER getting his second of the night after collecting the ball he evaded a tackle and coolly slipped the ball under the advancing keeper.

Three minutes later DAN MASON is on hand to show his strikers instincts to tap a dropping ball in past the stranded Streeter for his 23rd of the season.  Straight from the restart, Sholing won the ball and LEE WORT was given loads of room to run at the retreating defence, into the area and drill his low shot past the keeper. The best goal was saved for last, to cap a manic 6 minutes of one-way-traffic towards a very tired & fed up looking Newport.  On 79 mins, a corner was punched clear by Streeter, but Roundell recovered it by the wing, playing it to LEE WORT, who played a one-two with TJ and smashed an unstoppable first time shot from the edge of the area that screamed into the back of the net for his 18th goal of the season. 

It wrapped up Sholing's 5th win in a row, scoring 18 goals in the process. FT 1-6

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Sholing now march on to the Semi Final of the competition and now face a home game v Shaftsbury on Saturday with Dave Diaper enforced to make some changes with Jamie Bulpitt being the biggest doubt after going straight to hospital to have his leg stitched. Whilst several other players were nursing knocks on the slow fog-bound ferry home to the mainland.  Thanks to Newport for their hospitality.

Report by Greg Dickson

Next Game : Sholing v Shaftesbury - Saturday 10 March 3pm - Wessex Premier

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