Wimborne Town 0-4 Sholing

Scorers : Rob Flooks 4, Jake Cope 28, Stu Green 52, Dan Mason 67

Date: Saturday 24 September 2022, 3pm – Southern League Division 1 South

Venue: New Cuthbury

Wimborne Town : Thomas Parker-Trott, Jez Bedford (Aaron Roberts 64), Jordan Rose © (Scott Arnold 87), Oakley Hanger, Jack Hoey, Ben Satterley (Kaya Tshaka 63), Dan Bartlett, Harry Morgan, Lewis Beale, Henry Lander, Louis Kellaway. Unused subs : Ben Rodwell, Connal Morrison

Bookings : Jez Bedford, Jordan Rose, Ben Satterley, Harry Morgan

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Ryan Cluett (Tomasz Gruzewski 76), Jake Cope, Rob Flooks, Dan Miller ©, Josh Batt, Stu Green (Wayne Robinson 61), Owen Roundell, Dan Mason, Sami Makhloufi (Conor Whiteley 70), Charlie Wagstaffe. Unused subs : Dom Panesar-Dower & Dean Frampton

Bookings : Stu Green, Sami Makhloufi

Attendance: 466 (approx 40 Sholing fans)

Referee : Tim Godfray Assistants : Lewis Ward & Charlie Hardingham

Man of the Match : Dan Mason

Sholing put in a brilliant performance to maintain our 100% league record against one of the favourites for promotion. Two goals in either half didn't flatter us at all, as we put in a dominant display.

Team News : Going to a strong opponent without 5 key players (Byron, Worty, Marv, Nicholls & Targett) would decimate most teams, but Dave Diaper was still able to put out a strong side thanks to the depth of the squad he's built. We were expecting Marv to be available, but were notified on Friday by the Southern League that they don't count last Tuesday's Hampshire FA Senior Cup tie as a "proper match", so Marv had to serve his suspension in today's game. Jake Cope came in on the left and Owen Roundell went into midfield.

At Wimborne's smart new ground on a bright sunny day in front of a big crowd, the Boatmen got off to a strong start and took the lead on 4 minutes. Initially, we were annoyed the referee had not played-on as Greener went through to lift the ball over the keeper. The Ref pulled it back for a freekick and it turned out very nicely as Ryan Cluett's excellent delivery found Owen Roundell at the far post, who nodded the ball back across the 6 yard box where ROB FLOOKS stooped to head in.

Dan Mason showed how he's very useful in both boxes, heading away a Jordan Rose goalbound header from near the line in the 15th min. Sholing should have doubled our lead on 20 mins when Copey put Stu Green in on goal, but he scuffed his shot, allowing the keeper to make the save.

However, the pressure the hardworking Boatmen were putting in on the Wimborne back line, paid off on 29 mins. Dan Mason intercepted a pass by the goalkeeper to get into the right side of the area, get clattered but still get his pass off to Sami Makhloufi, who teed the ball up for the arriving JAKE COPE to smash high into the net from 15 yards.

There was a little bit of handbags on 35 mins after a high challenge on Josh Batt. Bizarrely, Stu Green got a yellow under the say so of the lino who said he left the pitch without permission to take a drink. Wimborne had their best spell of the game for 10 minutes up to half time. A flick header went wide, then Hoey skimmed a volley that Gos held at the second attempt. Gosney did well to make a close range save on 44 mins, with the rebound somehow put wide by Beale from the middle of the goal only a few yards out. HT 0-2

Dan Miller rose highest to connect with a Cluett corner, but the keeper saved well to his right. Then Stu Green had another 1-on-1 opportunity after being released by D-Dan, but again he put his shot straight at the keeper. However, a minute later, he was to score with a much harder chance! Gosney's long kick was controlled on his chest by Dan Mason who in one motion, lifted the ball over the defence for STU GREEN to run onto and hit a brilliant cushioned volley over the keeper.

Incredibly, it was almost a carbon copy of the goal that he scored in a pre-season friendly last year at the same ground at the same end!

Wimborne looked a beaten side and took out their frustrations with some niggly fouls that landed players bookings as Sholing went looking for more goals. Dan Mason swept a freekick from the right wing through a crowd of players, but the keeper saved.

Wayne Robinson, who has scored 8 goals in 3 games this season for the U23's, came on for Greener and was soon involved, setting up our fourth. Wayne's curling low cross from the right towards D-Dan, had the keeper in a panic and he could only push the ball into the path of DAN MASON to score one his easier goals into the empty net.

The final 20 minutes of the game seemed to pass very slowly, mostly because the Boatmen were in game management mode and Wimborne were unable to muster much to even grab a late consolation and appeared to be wanting the final whistle even more than we did.

Once again, Dan Mason's honesty went against him when he was tripped in the box, he didn't display any histrionics, so the referee waved play on. In added time, Conor Whiteley spotted the keeper off his line and from 45 yards lifted his effort just over the crossbar.

A fantastic shift by all the players as we took home three big points and kept our 100% record going. FT 0-4

Dave Diaper : "Excellent performance from the lads today, everyone put in a 9 out of 10 and goes to show the importance of a strong Squad. Thought the togetherness of the players was exemplary against a very good Wimborne side."

Next Game : Bishops Cleeve v Sholing - Tuesday 27 September 7:45pm - Southern League

Next Home Game : Sholing v Bristol Manor Farm - Saturday 1 October 3pm - Southern League

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