Scorers : Byron Mason 48
Date: Monday 29th October 2018 - 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier
Venue: Test Park
Team Solent: Alex Londors, John Wallace (Samuel Koroma 74), Craig Hunt, Mitchell Byrne, Ben Baldwin, Brandon Eaton, Ryan Penny [c] (Niall Brennan 46), Luke Mitchell, Silvano Obeng, Ethan Taylor, Hisham Kasimu. Unused subs : Zach Pettifer, Tam Demunga, Ben Morella
Sholing: Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Marv McLean, Owen Roundell, Jamie Bulpitt, Alex Sawyer, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jake Hoole. Unused Subs : Pete Castle, Ryan Mackney, Kevin Brewster, Owen Royl, Nick O'Donnell
Yellow Cards: Alex Sawyer, Jamie Bulpitt
Attendance: 83
Referee: Krasimir Petrov Assistants: Gary Cash & Tom McGhee
Byron Mason's second half header continued Sholing's 100% league record in a game that won't live long in the memory. What will be remembered is another clean sheet that meant a remarkable 11 hours of football without conceding for the Boatmen.
Team News : Brad Targett & Jack Smith missed out through illness. Marv Mclean came back into the starting line-up as did Owen Roundell as Sholing played their 2nd game in 3 days.
On a very cold evening on a very decent Test Park pitch, the first action of the game came inside 30 seconds as the Referee surprised everyone by showing Alex Sawyer a yellow card for the first tackle of the match. It was an open start by both sides, but the first effort on target came on 10 minutes as a ball was played into Dan Mason's feet. With his back to goal, he spun to get off a shot that Londors did very well to get down to at the foot of his near post to deflect round the upright. The home side broke-away on 15 minutes with a move that ended with a shot that was saved by the legs of Gosney.
The overwhelming pattern of the first half was a succession of corners to Sholing. In total, 10 were swung into the box, but apart from the keeper clawing out one inswinger by Sawyer, to deny him a consecutive goal from the corner flag at this ground, Sholing were unable to get an effort on goal as Solent defended them well. One corner was cleared out to Jamie Bulpitt 35 yards out who lifted a chipped effort goalwards, but the keeper backpeddled to claim it comfortably. The referee appeared to get fed up of the Team Solent manager's "advice" from the touchline and warned James Taylor that anymore would see him sent off. HT 0-0
Sholing played with more intent from the restart and were quickly rewarded on 48 minutes. A freekick out on the left corner of the box saw Alex Sawyer put in a cross that was met by BYRON MASON with a firm, well placed downward header, back in the direction the ball had came and into the bottom corner. It was almost a second goal straight from the restart as a nice combination of passes ended with Jamie Bulpitt arriving at the far post, but his half volley went into the side netting. Lee Wort then cut in and stung the hands of the keeper from the edge of the area.
The game then became scrappy, with misplaced passes by both teams, although Sholing were more guilty of giving up possession, but apart from a fierce shot by Kasimu that was straight at Gosney, the home side never really looked capable of breaking down the Boatmen back line, with Owen Roundell & Dan Miller moping up their attacks. Team Solent looked a much better side than their league position would indicate, but even with Sholing not at their most clinical, they had enough to dig out another victory and make it 10 out of 10 in the Sydenhams Wessex Premier. In the final minute of stoppage time, the referee bookended his yellow cards by showing Jamie Bulpitt one for what looked a routine challenge. FT 0-1
Next Game : Sholing v Malmesbury Victoria - Saturday 3 Nov 3pm - FA Vase
