Sholing 5-2 (AET) Slimbridge

Scorers : Lee Wort 5, 97, 102,  Dan Mason 18, Rob Flooks 95  / Dylan Lewis 41, Edjija Mbunga 52

Date: Tuesday 6 August 2022, 7:45pm – Emirates FA Cup First Round Qualifying Replay

Venue:  Imperial Homes Stadium

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Ryan Cluett, Marv McLean, Josh Batt, Dan Miller © (Owen Roundell 38), Rob Flooks, Lee Wort, Rob Nicholls (Conor Whiteley 88), Dan Mason, Sami Makhloufi (Jake Cope 90), Dom Panesar-Dower (Charlie Wagstaffe 66).  Unused subs : Wayne Robinson, Tomasz Gruzewski, Stu Green

Bookings : Jake Cope, Lee Wort

Slimbridge : Lewis Adams, Joe Shutt, Toby Lawrence, Myron Turner ©, Nathan Dennis, Ben Prictor, Dylan Lewis, James Sunley, Edjija Mbunga, Jack Holmes, Marley Thomas.  Subs : Zak Mitchell, Ethan Dunbar, Ben Hands, Brad Bevan, Brandon Barnes

Bookings : Lewis Adams, Joe Shutt, Toby Lawrence

Attendance: 176

Referee : Stephen Hawkes  Assistants : Derek Pratt & Declan Skehan

Man of the Match : Lee Wort

Lee Wort scored his second hat-trick of the season as the Boatmen scored 3 times in the first period of Extra Time to advance in the FA Cup.  Dan Mason also netted, taking his goal tally to 250 for the club.

Team News : Byron Mason & Brad Targett missed out with injury, but Lee Wort & Ryan Cluett returned. Dom Panesar-Dower was given a start after impressing when he came on, on Saturday.  Slimbridge had the same squad, but shuffled their starting line-up.

Boatmen made a fast start and took the lead on 5 minutes when Marv McLean fed Dan Mason, who shielded the ball and passed it off to LEE WORT on the edge of the box who drilled a daisy cutter inside the near post.   D-Dan showed good strength to get ahead of his marker to head a freekick from Cluett just wide.

The visitors forced Gosney into a smart save down to his left, before the Boatmen doubled our lead on 18 minutes.  Ryan Cluett's corner was met with a downward header by DAN MASON, which bounced through the bodies and snuck inside the post.  Was Dan's 250th goal for the Boatmen in 487 games.

The match was stopped for 5 minutes after a clash of heads between Dan Miller and Edjija Mbunga.  The Slimbridge player needed a bandage around his head and Millsy appeared to reopen the nose bleed he got on Saturday.  Both continued, but after a few mins, Dan Miller had to be replaced by Owen Roundell.

Slimbridge, who were playing at a high tempo and quickly closing us down, took advantage of the reshuffle in the Boatmen back line when we failed to properly clear a ball and it fell to Dylan Lewis to fire home on the angle.

Owen Roundell swung an inviting ball into the box, which was met with a stooping header by Dan Mason, but the ball went narrowly over.  HT 2-1

Slimbridge were applying all the early pressure after the restart and was no surprise when they got their reward on 52 minutes when Edjija Mbunga headed in at the far stick.  They continued to have the upper hand as we struggled to keep possession.

The referee was being consistent by angering both benches with his decisions, as well as taking far too long to restart the game as it got increasingly scrappy. 

Both sides had very good chances to win the game in normal time. Firstly for Sholing, Josh Batt recycled a corner, putting it on a sixpence for Dan Mason in the 6 yard box, but he uncharacteristically headed over with the goal at his mercy.  Then Slimbridge had their heads in their hands when a cut back from the left byline found an unmarked player coming in, but he sliced his shot horribly wide as the game entered extra time.  FT 2-2

Slimbridge contested the awarding of a corner to Sholing on 95 mins and were further enraged when we scored from it.  Again, Ryan Cluett's in-swinging delivery was right on the money and ROB FLOOKS rose highest at the far post to head in his first goal for the club.

Just two minutes later and we went further in front when a Ryan Gosney kick, deflected off a Slimbridge player to send LEE WORT clean through on goal and I don't think there was anyone in the crowd who had the slightest doubt the goal machine would score as he slotted past the advancing keeper.

That goal seemed to take the wind out of the Slimbridge players, who had given their all, but it was a sublime piece of skill that ensured Sholing would advance in the FA Cup.  Jake Cope released LEE WORT down the right and his first time chip from 22 yards was absolutely perfect as it floated over the keeper and under the crossbar for a stunning goal !

The heavens opened for 10 minutes as the rain belted down and then weirdly stopped abruptly as if the tap was turned off.  Slimbridge kept on pushing forward, forcing Gosney into a save at his near post and his opposite number then pulled off a full length save to deny Conor Whiteley.   FT AET 5-2

Hard luck to Slimbridge, who were very good, made it a memorable cup tie and probably didn't deserve the final scoreline.  Boatmen will now travel to National League South side, Chippenham Town, in the next round on Saturday 17th September. 

Next Game : Sholing v Lymington Town - Saturday 10 September 3pm - FA Trophy

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