Thatcham Town 1-1 (3-2 Pens) Sholing

Scorers : Lamin Ceesay 24  /  Claudio Herbert 85

Date: Saturday 9 October 2021, 3pm – Buildbase FA Trophy Second Round Qualifying

Venue:  Stacatruc Stadium

Thatcham Town: Chris Rackley, Tinashe Gwavava (William Edwards 46), Luke Donnville, Eric Macharia, Carl Jenner (Kaser Chowdhary 48), Josh Edwards ©, Alex Miller, Daniel Fosu, Shane Cooper-Clarke (Manuel Maturino 69), Lamin Ceesay, Zeid Hannachi.  Unused subs : Yashwa Romeo, Lamar Koroma

Yellow Card: Daniel Fosu

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Ryan Cluett, Jake Hoole, Mitch Byrne, Dan Miller ©, Rob Nicholls, Bradley Targett (Claudio Herbert 67), Martin Buckland, Dan Mason, Joe Adams (Conor Whiteley 72), Jake Cope (Stu Green 57).  Unused subs : Byron Mason & Luke Deacon

Yellow Card : Jake Cope
Red Card : Stu Green, Luke Deacon

Referee:  Josh Hackett  Assistants: Tom Baines & Jake Atkinson

Attendance: 143 (Approx 30 Sholing fans)

Man of the Match : Ryan Gosney

Boatmen went out of the FA Trophy on penalties after another frustrating performance & result.  A poor first half saw Sholing fortunate to be only one goal down at the break and it took until the final 20 minutes for the team to realise it was in a cup tie. We got an equaliser, were denied a stonewall penalty and then missed 3 pens in the shootout to crash out the Trophy.

Team News : Jake Hoole made a welcome return to the side at left back and Martin Buckland was given an opportunity in centre midfield, with the news that Charlie Wagstaffe is probably sidelined for a month. Joe Adams, Ryan Cluett & Luke Cope also returned to the starting line-up, with Brad pushed further forward after his recent games at fullback.

It was Grey against Black, kit wise, with the home side not yet having their traditional blue & white first choice and Sholing went with Black & White instead of the Red. It was a nice sunny & warm day as the game got underway on not the best of pitches.  Boatmen couldn't blame the surface for how they started the match, with a lack of energy in chasing down balls & closing the oppostion, as well as unable to put two passes together.  It was to be like that all half for Sholing as the home side were able to create a number of chances and take one on 23 minutes when a low diagonal ball into the area wasn't dealt with and it found Lamin Ceesay at the far post to hit a shot that deflected past Gosney at his near post. 

Thatcham missed a couple more good chances to extend their lead and it took Sholing until just before the break to get our only shot on goal in the half, as from a corner, the ball fell to Jake Hoole outside the box, he hit a measured low shot, but the keeper got down to save near his post.   HT 1-0

Surprisingly, there were no changes by Diapes for the restart and there was no change in how the Boatmen were performing either.  Thatcham were gifted another chance to score after some sloppy play by us, but again they didn't take it.    On the hour mark, Stu Green came on and was quickly followed by Claudio Herbert.   Dan Mason, who had been working hard, but with little support, now finally had some and it immediately changed Sholing's effectiveness going forward.

D-Dan did well to hold the ball up and find Joe Adams arriving on the edge of the area, but his shot was always rising.  Dan then tried going alone, spinning and getting off a well struck shot, but unfortunately, straight at the keeper.  He then flicked on a header into the path of Stu Green, who was in on goal, but didn't get a clean connection as his effort was saved by the keeper's legs.  Conor Whiteley came on for the final 15 minutes and as the game entered the last 5 minutes, Sholing got an equaliser.

A freekick was awarded in the D and CLAUDIO HERBERT stepped up to send his shot over the wall and keeper, with the ball hitting the underside of the bar and bouncing down over the line.  It took a few moments for the linesman to notify the referee it had gone in, but despite being second best for much of the match, Sholing now looked the side more likely to win in 90 minutes.

But football doesn't work in obvious ways and the Boatmen were to be denied the opportunity of a late winner by a very poor decision by the officials. After a scramble in the box and the goalkeeper out of position, a goalbound shot was "saved" by a Thatcham player near the line, there was absolutely no doubt he used his hands to do so, but seemingly the only ones in the ground who didn't see it was the Referee and linesman.   It infuriated the Sholing players and Stu Green was shown a straight red card for something he said, the first time that Greener has been sent off in 15 years of non league football.    The game ended and we went straight to penalties.  FT 1-1

Dan Mason had the pressure of the first kick, but buried it, as did Thatcham with theirs.  Ryan Gosney stepped up for the second and blasted it in and then dived to save Thatcham's next spot kick to give Sholing an advantage.  Sadly, that didn't last as Thatcham scored the rest of their spot kicks, with Conor blazing over and the penalties by Claudio & Rob were saved.   So, Sholing lost 3-2.    There were then some afters as Thatcham celebrated wildly and Luke Deacon was sent off.  

Next Game :  Sholing v AFC Totton - Southern League Cup - Tuesday 7:45pm