Scorers :  Own Goal (Nathan Walker) 67

Date: Tuesday 11th September 2018 - 7:45pm - Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay

Venue: Specsavers County Ground

Hamworthy United: Tom Rees, Nathanail Peprah-Annan, Declan Randell, Sean Wright (River Smith 62), Nathan Walker [c], Chris Senior, Jamie Filkins, Jamie Gleeson (Adam Costello 80), Eddie Hodge, Dan Cann, Sam Bayston.  Unused Subs : Ryan Watkins, James Rowe, Nick Patrick, James Tregaskas

Yellow Cards: Nathanail Peprah-Annan Declan Randell

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marvin Mclean, Owen Roundell (Owen Royl 55), Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt, Alex Sawyer (Bradley Targett 60), Bryon Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jake Hoole.  Unused Subs : Kevin Brewster, Billy Connor, Nick O'Donnell

Yellow Cards: Byron Mason

Attendance: 146 (approx 25 Sholing fans)

Referee: Ciaran Barlow   Assistants: Steve Fall & Dominic Gregory

Boatmen put in an excellent performance to go through to the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, where we will visit National League South side, Slough Town.  It always felt like a game that would take one moment of magic or mistake to win it and midway through the 2nd half, Marv McLean's cross forced an own goal.

Team News : Sholing were unchanged from Saturday.  Hamworthy made 3 changes, one of which was Dan Cann, who scored against the Boatmen in last season's league game on the Hammer's 3G pitch.

Hamworthy had the first opening on 13 mins when from a throw-in, Cann found himself in space behind, but his shot was deflected by Gosney up and onto the roof of the net.   Sholing's first effort on goal came on 20 mins when Dan Mason hit a bouncing ball on the right side of the area, but his volley went across goal and wide.  Lee Wort found himself in a similar position 4 minutes later, but with more time than his striker partner, his shot went into the side netting.  

The Hammers were using a very long throw to get the ball into Sholing's box whenever in our half, but the Boatmen defence were able to deal with this approach without too many dramas.  On 41 minutes, Jake Hoole fired off a low shot from the edge of the box, but Rees got down well to firstly save and then cling onto the ball.  The first half ended with a distinct feeling of deja-vu for anyone who had attended Saturday's game.  HT 0-0

Sholing started the second half the brighter, with Marv Mclean getting in behind and slotting a pass across the face of the goal, but none of his teammates were in a position for a tap in.   There was a nasty clash of heads on 55 mins with Owen Roundell come off worse with a split lip and had to go off. Owen Royl came on, with TJ shuffling over to central defence.

Alex Sawyer curled a 20 yard freekick wide and soon after was replaced by Brad Targett.  Again, like on Saturday, the introduction of Brad added some more pace to Sholing's attacks and he skipped away from a challenge to put in a dangerous cross that was hacked clear for a corner.  Hamworthy were continuing to defend as well as they did on Saturday, often getting in a block or a challenge just when it looked like Sholing were about to create a good chance.   In return, the Boatmen defence was on top of anything the home side could muster, with Dan Miller seemingly winning everything in the air and on the deck.

The game was mostly being played in the Hamworthy half, with the pressure being built up and up by the Boatmen, who looked more like the home team than the Hammer's did.  Finally on 67 minutes, someone breached these strong defences and it was the Boatmen, helped by the Hamworthy Captain, who got the crucial breakthrough.  Byron Mason, who was bossing the midfield, won the ball and sent Marv free with a lovely pass into his stride.  Marv beat the right back for pace, cutting into the area before hitting a powerful cross into the 6 yard box where Dan Mason was arriving, but before it got to him, Nathan Walker stretched out a foot and diverted it past his own keeper and just inside the post.

Hamworthy tried to rouse themselves for a comeback, but apart from one header that Gosney dealt with, the Sholing defence stood firm.  There was that slight worry that being cup football, nothing is certain until the final whistle and the home side may get a goal out of nothing, but Sholing continued to play good football, whilst Hamworthy lost their discipline a little and wasted their own time arguing with the referee.  The man in the middle did add on a surprising 9 minutes, but Gosney made an impressive claim from a cross and the Boatmen saw out stoppage time to register their first ever competitive win on a 3G surface and pocket £6k in FA Cup Prize money too.  FT 0-1

Dave Diaper was proud of his players after the match, saying : "Great win tonight against Hamworthy in the FA Cup. Thought the lads raised the bar again, getting the ball down and playing some great football. We now have Slough Town in the next round, very tough for us, but my faith in these players to cause an upset is as strong as ever."

Next Game : Sholing v Newport IW - Tuesday 18 September 7:45pm - Hampshire Cup