Scorers : Callum Dart 31 / Alex Sawyer 57, Lee Wort 77 & 79

Date: Thursday 15 March 2019 - 7:45pm - Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Venue: PMC Stadium

Baffins Milton Rovers: Cameron Scott, Robbie Taw, Freeman Williams, Harry Wedlake, Ashton Leigh [c] (Corey Burns 85), Owen Haly, Callum Dart, Tommy Leigh, Blu Boam (Max Paddon 81), Dale Mason (Carel Kayembe 85), Brandon Miller.  Unused subs: Aaron Grimshaw & Tony Male

Yellow Cards: Asthon Leigh & Harry Wedlake

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Owen Roundell, Owen Royl (Jake Hoole 63), Pete Castle, Dan Miller, Ryan Mackney (Jamie Bulpitt 46), Alex Sawyer, Byron Mason [c], Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Brad Targett (Bradey Norton 63).  Unused subs : Kev Brewster & Jack Nicholas

Yellow Cards: Owen Roundell

Attendance: 116 (approx 30 Sholing fans)

Referee: Stuart Carter   Assistants: Keiran Forrest & Alan Gower

It was a stereo-typical "game of two halves", although it more applied to Sholing's performance than that of Baffins Milton. A flat first half performance, made way to a much improved second half Boatmen effort, which was rewarded with Alex Sawyer's brilliant freekick and then two goals in as many minutes by Lee Wort. 

Team News: TJ & Marv were unavailable so Roundell & Royl went into the full back positions and Ryan Mackney was handed a start in midfield, along with Brad Targett up front.  There was a surprise & welcome return to the bench for Jamie Bulpitt, having not featured since the first week in January and feared to be out for the rest of the season through injury.

My first visit to Baffins neat and tidy ground, which has clearly had a lot of hard work done on it in recent years as the club consolidates in the Wessex Premier and builds for the future after recent promotions.  The home side looked lively from the off and should have scored inside 5 mins when the Leigh brothers combined, but Ashton put a free header wide from 10 yards.  Sholing had a spell of pressure around the 15 minute mark, with Brad Targett having a pacey run ended by a good block of his shot.  Then Miller flicked on a long throw, but it was inches away from the outstretched foot of Byron inside the 6 yard box.  That was it for Sholing as an attacking threat as the home side dominated the rest of the half.

Ryan Gosney did well to push away a 20 yard angled shot and he continued to be in the thick of the action, both positively and negatively from Sholing's perspective.  He had successfully cut out a dangerous cross at the second attempt, but on 31 minutes, he stretched too far with one hand to try to claim a ball across his area and could only palm it down to the feet of Callum Dart, who took a touch before firing into the empty net.  There were a couple more flaps at crosses as the usually dependable keeper, was under pressure from Baffins being allowed to whip in crosses as the Boatmen backed off the home team and were probably grateful to go in only one goal down.  HT 1-0

Dave Diaper cut an angry figure as he came out for the restart and immediately made a change, bringing on "Bully" for Mackney.  Sholing were more like their usual selves, playing with more intensity and almost scored on 51 minutes when Pete Castle beat the keeper for a ball into the box, but Taw cleared the effort off the line. However, on 57 minutes, Sholing were level and what a strike it was.  Boatmen were awarded a freekick on the edge of the D and ALEX SAWYER blasted the ball round the wall and inside the far post for a fantastic goal.

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Gosney was back to his usual self, saving well from Williams and confidently claiming a number of dangerous crosses into his 6 yard box, as Baffins remained a threat, with the next goal going to be crucial.  The next goal went to Sholing, who in the space of two minutes took the game away from the home side in typically ruthless fashion.  On 77 minutes, Jamie Bulpitt broke down the right channel and whipped in a low cross that evaded Dan Mason, but came to LEE WORT whose first time connection took a deflection off the defender and nestled just inside the upright. 

Then, quick as a flash, LEE WORT had his second, almost straight from the restart.  A thumping header downfield by Owen Roundell was latched upon by Wort, who muscled past Ashton Leigh to run in on goal and give the keeper no chance with a powerful drive for his 41st goal of the season.  Sholing now found themselves in control of a match that for a period, looked like it may have been one game too many for a team that was playing its 51st of the season. But, the Boatmen have a strong self belief, to match the quality in front of goal, to turn games on their head and continue this incredible unbeaten run, whilst inflicting the first home defeat on Baffins this season.  25 wins out of 26 in the league and means 3 more victories are required for the League Title.  FT 1-3

Many thanks to our supporters for making the trip to back the lads on a traditionally, non-football night. I'm sure our friend "Onion" enjoyed this result and everyone at the club wish him all the best with his recovery from a hip-replacement operation.

Next Game : Bashley v Sholing - Saturday 16th March 3pm - Wessex Premier