Scorers : Ed Butcher 22 / Jack Nicholas 53, Lee Wort 89

Date: Saturday 14 December 2019 - 3:00pm - Buildbase FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round Replay

Venue: Winterfield Road

Paulton Rovers: Joseph Perry, Ben Withey, Nuno Felix (Dan Dempsey 54), Craig Allan, Charlie Hutchings ©, Bradley Abrahams, Jake Sloggett, Braeden Symes, Ben Bament, Ryan Gay, Edward Butcher. Unused Subs: Ali Sen, Kye Mountford & John Rendell

Yellow Cards: Braeden Symes, Jake Sloggett, Bradley Abrahams. Red Card: Jake Sloggett

Sholing: Ryan Gosney, Marvin Mclean, Jake Hoole, Owen Roundell, Dan Miller, Jamie Bulpitt, Jack Nicholas, Bryon Mason ©, Lee Wort, Stuart Green (Alex Sawyer 75), Bradley Targett. Unused Subs: Owen Royl, James Lauder & Aaron Whitmarsh

Yellow Cards: Bryon Mason, Owen Roundell

Attendance: 136

Man of the Match: Byron Mason

Referee: Dale Wootton  Assistants: James Green & Niall Clinton

Boatmen created club history by reaching the First Round proper of the FA Trophy with a thrilling come from behind win in an end-to-end game at Paulton Rovers.  Jack Nicholas grabbed an equaliser on 53 mins and after the home side were reduced to 10 men, Lee Wort lobbed in an 89th minute winner.  Sholing's reward is an exciting looking trip to National League South high flyers, Bath City, on Tuesday.

Team News: Dan Mason missed out whilst serving a one match ban and TJ Cuthbertson was out with a knee injury. Byron Mason returned to skipper the side and Jack Nicholas made his 5th start of the season in an attacking line-up. Reserve goalkeeper Aaron Whitmarsh was called up to the squad.

After an early inspection, the tie was given the green light on a pitch that unsurprisingly was quite heavy after the never ending downpours. Paulton's well cared for ground had plenty of cover for spectators around 3 sides, with a pitch that sloped down from right to left as viewed from the main stand. There were a few Bath City supporters watching on, curious to see who they'd be facing on Tuesday.  Paulton created the first chance inside the first minute. A corner delivery from Edward Butcher was partially cleared to find Jake Sloggett at the edge of the box, with the midfielder’s first time effort hitting the post.

In response to this early scare, the Boatmen went straight up the other end when Jamie Bulpitt put Brad Targett through down the left channel, the young attacker advanced into the box and forced a great save from Joseph Perry. There was a glorious opportunity in the fifth minute when Craig Allan slipped, allowing Lee Wort to go 1-on-1 with the keeper, but his shot towards the near post saw Perry stick out a leg to save.

Despite these chances for Sholing, the home side were still dangerous on the counter attack. Minutes after Edward Butcher’s cross was missed at the far post by the sliding Ben Bament, a similar move helped Paulton Rovers to take the lead in the twenty-second minute. Ryan Gay found Edward Butcher in space down the right and the winger cut inside the defender, before firing a low effort that somehow snuck in off the near post, with a delayed reaction from the bulk of supporters up the other end of the ground as it wasn't clear if it had gone in.

The final fifteen minutes saw chances for both sides, with Edward Butcher once again showing his pace and control before cutting in and firing off the far post.  Then Gay beat two players, but shot wildly over the bar from close range. Up the other end, Stuart Green’s cross was inches away from Lee Wort, who fired wide minutes later after finding space on the edge of the box. Paulton Rovers’ keeper Joseph Perry was also forced to make another good save to deny Jack Nicholas’ fierce drive from the corner of the area. Paulton went into the interval in front, but Sholing were well in the game and you felt the next goal would be crucial to the final outcome of the match. HT: 1-0

Sholing started brightly after the restart and nearly equalised when Stu Green found space in behind, but he took his shot early from just outside the area and it lacked the power to trouble the keeper. Moments later and a shot by Nicholas was fumbled by Perry and for a moment it looked like it might squirm underneath him, but he dropped to the ground to smother the ball and spare his blushes.

On 53 minutes the Boatmen got that crucial second goal of the match. Jake Hoole on the left wing near the half way line, pinged a great crossfield pass into the stride of JACK NICHOLAS out on the right, about 40 yards from goal. Jack took on his marker, gaining enough room to get off a shot from the edge of the area that went beneath the advancing keeper and into the net for his 2nd goal for the first team. This seemed to further spark the Sholing side’s confidence, with quick fire opportunities from Lee Wort and Bradley Targett being snuffed out by the home defence.

The Somerset outfit then had a series of opportunities to retake the lead with around twenty minutes of the game left. The home side hit the crossbar via the fingertips of Ryan Gosney after Bradley Abrahams sent a powerful angled effort towards goal. Gosney did well again soon after when a free kick around thirty yards out dipped late towards the top corner, but Gos tipped it over.  The home bench were off their feet thinking they had scored in a goalmouth scramble, but again, Gosney was there to gather the ball on the line.

With just nine minutes left on the clock, Paulton Rovers were reduced to ten men when Jake Sloggett broke into the box at pace and went to ground with loud appeals for a penalty. However,  the referee deemed his fall as simulation and showed the Paulton player his second yellow card to send him off the pitch.

With a numerical advantage and fresh legs in the form of Alex Sawyer, the Boatmen now looked the likelier to take the win. Jack Nicholas found space on the right side of the area with a shot beating the keeper but flashing just wide of the far upright. The home side appeared to slow down their play, perhaps prefering to regroup ahead of extra time and maybe penalties, but that wasn't going to be necessary as Sholing won the game in the 89th minute. 

Paulton's defence had struggled throughout the match to deal with Sholing's pace and movement up front and it would be apparent again for the winning goal. A ball over the top from Dan Miller bounced nicely into the path of LEE WORT, who a few minutes earlier had looked dead on his feet, but he still had enough in the tank to outsprint the Paulton back line and as the ball sat up nicely for him 20 yards out, he skillfully lobbed it first time over the on-rushing keeper and he was off celebrating with a huge knee-slide even before the ball had landed in the back of the net! Was Worty's 252nd goal for the Boatmen and not many could have been sweeter.

The final five added minutes seemed to last an age as Sholing did well to snuff out the game by keeping the ball in the Paulton half for most of stoppage time. It as a great win for the Boatmen and rewards for their attacking endeavour and never losing belief after going behind.  The game could have gone either way, but it will be Sholing who will be facing Bath City in the First Round as the club goes deeper in the FA Trophy than ever before. FT: 1-2

Report by Connor Steel

Next Game : Bath City v Sholing - Tuesday 17 December 7:45pm - FA Trophy First Round
Next Home Game : Sholing v Bristol Manor Farm - Saturday 21 December 3pm - Southern League (Xmas Raffle being drawn, tickets on sale from the bar)