Fareham2 2Sholing

Scorers : Matt Andrews 28, Vaughnie McGhee 33  / Dan Mason 13, Alex Sawyer 86

Date: Monday 16th April 2018 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division

Venue: Cams Alders

Fareham Town: Del Harding, Josh Holmes, Michael Okubote, Vaughnie McGhee, Shawn Benjamin, Craig Hardy [c], Scott Hamilton, Curt Robbins, Matt Andrews, Callum Laycock, Ash Tattersall.  Subs : Sam Kessack, Hayato Yokata, Ethan Jones, Luke Douglas.

Yellow Cards:  ?

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Owen Royl, Owen Roundell, Pete Castle (Marlon Mason 87), Dan Miller, Jack Smith (Jamie Bulpitt 45), Alex Sawyer, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Frazer McLean (TJ Cuthbertson 54).  Subs not used : Kev Brewster, Jamie Bray

Yellow Cards: Jack Smith, Jamie Bulpitt

Attendance:  85 (approx 30 Sholing fans)

Referee: Lee Nowacki  Assistant Referees: James Byng & Des McCulloch

Man of the Match: Alex Sawyer

Alex Sawyer's 22 yard freekick, 4 minutes from time, earned Sholing a deserved point at Fareham Town. It was the Boatmen's 5th game in 9 days and for a while it looked like it might end in defeat, but even if the legs are tired, the spirit stays strong in the team.

Team News: Byron Mason returned to the starting line-up, but like several other players, was playing with an injury that in normal circumstances would probably mean him being rested.  Frazer McLean made his first start for Sholing.

It's a Monday, so it must be Fareham, as the game got underway and the home side had the first opening when Gosney beat away a well struck shot.  Sholing started to take control from that point and on 13 minutes were in front thanks to some quick thinking and clinical finishing.  Alex Sawyer took a throw-in on the right wing and spotted Jack Smith bursting into the box, Jack tapped the ball inside to DAN MASON, who spun and drilled a first time shot past Harding for his 8th goal in 7 games.

Fresh from scoring on Saturday, Pete Castle fancied his chances from 25 yards, but his effort was always rising.  Sholing were looking comfortable, but perhaps overplaying in and around the Fareham area and were hit with a sucker punch on 28 mins when the home team equalised.  It was a quality goal as a right wing cross was met with a first time half volley on the edge of the area by Matt Andrews and it flew inside the near post.   The "Creeksiders" were then in front 5 minutes later as it opened up in midfield for Vaughnie McGhee to shoot low, Gosney got a hand to it, but was unable to stop it going in the corner.   Boatmen might have equalised almost immediately, but Roundell dwelled too long after bursting into the area and over-ran the ball.  HT 2-1

Sholing upped the pressure in the second half, bringing on Bulpitt & TJ. But, despite having the lions share of possession and spending long periods in the Fareham half, weren't really creating much to worry a hard-working defence.   There were some flurries from set-pieces, but it looked like one of those nights when the ball was always landing just out of reach of a Sholing player.

The game was drifting towards full time, but on 86 minutes, Dan Mason was fouled just outside the area.  ALEX SAWYER lined up the freekick and hit a beauty that cleared the wall and sailed past Harding, who stood rooted to his line as the ball went just inside the upright.

There were chances for both teams to win it, as firstly Fareham had a good shooting opportunity, that was skied over the bar.  Then TJ hit a fierce angled shot that Harding did well to both save and keep hold of, but it finished even.  FT 2-2

Next Games : - AFC Portchester v Sholing (Thursday 7:45pm) - Sholing v Andover Town (Saturday 3pm)

Photos by Ray Routledge (click an image to enlarge)