Sholing 5-2 Walton Casuals

Scorers : Stuart Green 4 & 38, Charlie Wagstaffe 47, Dan Mason (pen) 52, Brad Targett 68  /  Kyen Nicholas 10, 36

Date: Tuesday 13h October 2020, 7.30pm – Emirates FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round

Venue: Mackoy Stadium

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Marvin Mclean, Jake Hoole, PJ Mclean, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt (Brad Targett 46), Charlie Wagstaffe (Alex Sawyer 83), Byron Mason ©, Dan Mason, Stuart Green, Claudio Herbert.  Unused Subs: Luke Deacon, Owen Roundell, Joe Smith, Martin Buckland

Yellow Card:

Walton Casuals: Leighton Fanshawe, Andrew Joshua (Bernard Tanner 67), James O'Halloran, Nathaniel Oseni, Dylan Merchant-Simmonds, Aaron Lamot (Taurean Roberts 55), Gabriel Odunalke, Shaun McAuley, Kyen Nicholas, Tayshan Hayden-Smith, Zidan Akers (Rio Davidson-Phipps 67).  Unused subs : Joe Morrison & Jacob Munting

Yellow Cards:

Attendance: 341

Man of the Match: Stu Green

Referee: Alex Bradley  Assistants: Lee Nowacki &

Sholing caused a cup upset in an incredible incident packed, thrilling match to also make history by reaching the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round for the first ever time.  With the game poised at 2-2 just before half time, there were two floodlight failures in quick succession, but once we got going for the 2nd half, the Boatmen blew away Walton Casuals with three quick fire goals to go into the hat for Thursday's draw.

Team News: Dave Diaper started the game with the same formation after Saturday's win, but changed the personnel, with PJ, Jake & Green all coming back in and Byron moving back into midfield.  Walton Casuals, who play in the Southern League Premier South, were making their first ever visit to the Mackoy Stadium, but had success down south only last week when they defeated Gosport Borough in a league encounter.

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There was a big crowd at the Mackoy Stadium as the game got underway in a light drizzle and the tone of the match was immediately set with a frantic, high tempo start and the Boatmen were ahead inside 4 minutes!  Pressure on the back four prompted an under-strength back header which allowed STU GREEN to nip in and fire underneath the keeper.   Walton drew level on 10 minutes, showing their ability to break at speed when they burst through the left flank and in on goal.  Gosney came out to do well to save the one-on-one, but the ball popped out kindly to Kyen Nicholas to slot into the empty net.

Sholing were giving both Walton full-backs twisted blood, beating them for pace & skill several times, with the best opportunity seeing Stu Green firstly bamboozle the defender to get into the box and cut back for Byron Mason to have a shot blocked, with the rebound falling back to Greener to try a back heel that the keeper saved.  There was a constant battle at freekicks & corners between PJ & the Walton number 9 and the visitors got off the hook on 30 mins when there appeared to be a handball, but wasn't seen by the officials.  It was end to end stuff and the Casuals went in front on 36 minutes when following a low corner, Gosney's save was deflected to the far post where Kyen Nicholas forced it in for his second goal.

Boatmen were level just 3 minutes later, again forcing mistakes from the Walton defence.  Byron charged forward to close down a defender, who panicked & blindly got rid of the ball across his area, leaving his keeper in no mans land and the arriving STU GREEN the chance to hit a first time pass into the net from the edge of the box.  

Everyone was enthralled by a thrilling game, which on 42 minutes was plunged into near darkness as several floodlights all failed at once.  There was a 15 minute wait as the lights were reset and the game got back underway, but then they quickly failed again.  This was a much longer wait, with eventually both sets of players returning to the changing rooms.  It took over 30 minutes to get the lights back on again, with the clubhouse and tannoy switched off to keep the load just on the floods.  With agreement from both managers & the officials, 2 minutes of the first half were completed, with the teams immediately switching straight round to start the second half.  In total, it took 98 minutes to complete the first half!   HT 2-2

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Dave Diaper made a change for the restart, bringing on Brad Targett to replace Bulpitt, with the team going back to our normal formation.  It appeared to catch Walton on the hop as they were immediately pushed back by a rampaging Sholing side who quickly went back in front on 47 minutes.  Claudio Herbert broke from his own half to feed Stu Green in the box, his shot was well saved, with the rebound coming out of the area where CHARLIE WAGSTAFFE nipped in front of a Walton player to then stride forward past a challenge and stroke the ball sweetly inside the upright for his first goal for the club.  

Greener was at the centre of things soon after, winning a penalty after speeding into the area and being tripped.  On 53 minutes, DAN MASON smashed in an unstoppable spot kick to make it 4-2.   On 62 mins, D-Dan met a Herbert freekick with a bullet header that Fanshawe did very well to save, and it was repeated 4 minutes later, again D-Dan denied, this time after being found by Wagstaffe at the far post. However, a rampant Sholing weren't to be denied and on 69 minutes had our fifth goal.  Gosney's long goal kick into the left channel saw BRAD TARGETT win the race with the defender and surge into the box at an angle and slot the ball past the keeper to spark wild scenes.

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Walton may have been 3 goals behind, but were still pushing forward, with their No 7, Gabriel Odunalk, looking a very classy player.  Gosney did well on 74 minutes to thwart the visitors, before it looked like Stu Green would grab a hat-trick as he ran clean through from the half way line, but the keeper saved with his legs.   The "battle of the units" continued at corners, with PJ not backing down and there was another loud shout for a handball, which the ref waved away.  Charlie Wagstaffe went off to an ovation on 84 minutes, with the new signing having his best game for the club thus far.  There could have been more goals for Sholing, but Ryan Gosney also showed what he is capable off, pulling off a breathtaking save down to his right when it looked a certain goal.  A brilliant game of football was brought to an end, with Sholing celebrating going further in the FA Cup than ever before and rewards for an incredible shift put in by every player.  FT 5-2

Many thanks to everyone who attended, especially for showing great patience during the floodlight failures.  Apologies for that happening, we will endeavour to make sure its not repeated.  Thanks to Dave Bell for getting the lights back on and everyone who helped him.  We are also grateful for our volunteers and stewards hard work during challenging circumstances.   

Best of luck to Walton Casuals for the rest of the season, they certainly played their part in a thriller and were understanding and helpful to get the game finished on the night.   For Sholing, we now eagerly await Thursday's FA Cup draw!

Next Game :  Sholing v Wantage Town - Saturday 3pm - FA Trophy

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