Baffins Milton Rovers 2-4 Sholing

Scorers : Tommy Scutt 31 (pen), Callum Smith 65  /  Dan Mason 7, Claudio Herbert 18, Stu Green 44 & 45+1

Date: Saturday 21 August 2021, 3pm – Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round

Venue:  PMC Stadium

Baffins Milton Rovers: Konrad Szymaniak, Charlie Williamson, Rhys Lloyd, Harry Sargeant (Callum Smith 55), Lee Molyneaux, Ed Sanders, Oscar Johnston (Rudi Blankson 55), James Cowan ©, Jason Parrish, Tommy Scutt, Alex Przespolewski. (Billy Connor 55). Unused subs : Callum Dart, George Burgess, Josh Dean, Jamie Clarke

Yellow Card:

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Ryan Cluett, Marv McLean © (Connor Whiteley 75), Mitch Byrne, Dan Miller, Rob Nicholls, Joe Adams (Jack Barnes 88), Claudio Herbert (Jake Cope 63), Dan Mason, Brad Targett.  Unused subs : Martin Buckland, Yumo Wan, Jack Barnes, Rafa Ramos & Luke Deacon

Yellow Card : Ryan Cluett

Referee: Andrew Dunn   Assistants : Rod Burt & Andy Higgins

Attendance: 181 (approx 30 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Rob Nicholls

Sholing overcame a potential bananaskin with a powerful performance to advance in the FA Cup.  Boatmen scored 4 goals in the first half and created a lot of chances throughout the game, but also needed Ryan Gosney to be on top form to save a penalty.  Dan Mason & Claudio Herbert scored early on and Stu Green grabbed two goals in as many minutes on the stroke of half time.

Captain, Byron Mason, was still nursing an injury, so joined Marc Diaper on the sidelines to manage the side.  The returning Marv McLean, making his 698th appearance for the Boatmen, took the skippers armband.  Jake Cope dropped to the bench with Claudio coming in for his first start of the season.  Baffins were full of confidence on the back of a derby win over Moneyfields, as well as being unbeaten in 4 games this season.  They had former Portsmouth player and Gosport manager, Lee Molyneaux, in defence and former Sholing forward, Billy Connor on the bench.

Sholing started brightly, quickly controlling possession, with Joe Adams showing some good skill on the edge of the box, but a chance couldn't be created from it. However, only took 7 minutes for the Boatmen to have the ball in the net when Ryan Cluett swung in a deep cross that was met with a cushioned header by Dan Miller that was knocked in at the far post by DAN MASON for his first of the season. 

Boatmen doubled the lead on 18 minutes with a lovely counter-attack move. Rob Nicholls won possession and broke away from our box to slide a ball into Claudio on the half way line, who's cute lay-off freed Joe Adams to run in on goal.  The keeper made a good save, but CLAUDIO HERBERT was following up and from a tight angle on the right, smacked in a shot that the defender on the line couldn't keep out.  Sholing were in full flow now, with Greener and Claudio both forcing Szymaniak into identical saves to stop low curling efforts from just outside the box.   The Baffins keeper did even better on 27 mins, pulling off a worldy to tip a long range goal bound Brad Targett thunderbolt, onto the post with a finger tip save.

The home side were gifted a way back into the game on 30 minutes when the ball was blasted at point blank range onto the arm of a Sholing defender.  Despite the handball rules being changed in close-season, the referee pointed to the spot. Tommy Scutt fired his spot kick into the top right hand corner.  It could have rattled Sholing, but they put it out of their minds and continued to create chances going forward.  Ryan Cluett found space on the overlap and fired in a shot that was pushed away by Szymaniak.

Boatmen then scored twice in as many minutes just before the break to make the scoreline better reflect their dominance in the first 45. Robin Nicholls, who was controlling the midfield, had a shot that was half blocked by a defender, but it fell kindly to STU GREEN to make no mistake from inside the 6 yard box.  It was a similar outcome almost straight from the restart, a cross by Claudio, saw Dan Mason go up for a challenge, with the ball breaking for STU GREEN to hit a half volley across the keeper and into the far corner from 8 yards.   HT 1-4

Baffins were awarded another penalty 5 minutes into the second half, with no debate about this one following a clear trip.  Tommy Scutt stepped up again, but went the other way to his previous penalty, hitting it low to Gosney's right, but Gos dived full length to save and also did superb to get up immediately and push away the ball and take a hit as a Baffins player came in.

The home side made a triple change on 55 minutes, making the contest move even and on 65 minutes they pulled a goal back. A ball across the edge of the box was hit first time with a fine controlled low shot by Callum Smith that gave Gos no chance.  Baffins forced a few corners, but nothing to alarm the Boatmen defence and we really should have added to our tally with some good late chances.  Brad Targett, who by now was playing left back after Marv went off, smashed an angled shot into the side netting.  Then some nice interplay between Dan Mason and Greener saw Stu played into the box, but his half volley effort went over.   He probably should have completed his hat-trick on 84 mins when Jake Cope went on a run and fed Stu in behind, but the keeper came out to block his shot.

Ryan Gosney had the last action of game, when a fierce shot appeared to be heading into the top corner, but somehow Gos tipped it over the bar.  The final whistle blew and it was job done by Sholing to overcome decent opposition and put our name into the hat for Monday's 1st Round Qualifying draw.  FT 2-4

Thanks to our supporters for backing us on the road today.

Next Game :  Willand Rovers v Sholing - Saturday 3pm
Next Home Game : Sholing v Winchester City - Bank Holiday Monday 3pm

Photos courtesy of HR Media (swipe to view pics)

Photos courtesy of Martyn White Sports Images (swipe to view pics)

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