Sholing 1-0 Lymington Town

Scorers : Rob Flooks 9

Date: Saturday 12 November 2022, 3pm – Southern League Division 1 South

Venue:  Imperial Homes Stadium  Attendance: 179

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Brad Targett, Rob Nicholls, Dan Miller ©, Rob Flooks, Wayne Robinson, Owen Roundell, Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jake Cope (Sami Makhloufi 64).  Unused subs : Josh Batt, Lochlan Colquhoun, Callum Jones & Cohwen Whitaker

Bookings : Ryan Gosney, Dan Mason

Lymington Town : Amadeusz Skrzyniarz, Ryan Fuller ©, Luke Churchill (Conrad Churchill 85), Tom Andrews, Ryan Batley, Tim Stephenson, Rian Drake, Lewis Waterfield, Lerone Plummer (Harrison Cable 88), Owen Fee (Ryan Hughes 47), Dylan Walker.  Unused subs : Karol Skoczen, Matthew Fredericks 

Bookings : Ryan Batley, Tim Stephenson, Lerone Plummer

Red Cards : Dylan Walker, Ryan Batley

Powerplus Man of the Match : Wayne Robinson

Rob Flooks scored the only goal of a game that marked Dan Mason's 500th appearance for the club.  Lymington had 2 players sent off just before half time, the Boatmen were unable to increase the scoreline against 9 men, but the 3 points took us 7 points clear at the top.

Team News : Rob Nicholls returned after a month out injured, but Byron & Marv missed out through injuries and Charlie Wagstaffe was unavailable.  There were two new faces on the bench, Callum Jones & Cohwen Whitaker, who both impressed Diapes for the U23's in midweek, enough to sign first team forms.  Lymington had some familiar players in their line-up, a few ex-Totton players and there was the annual appearance against Sholing by the much-travelled Rudy Plummer, who today faced his brother Wayne Robinson.

Was a sunny & mild day at the Imperial Homes Stadium as before the game, a presentation was made by Chairman, Gerry Roberts, to Dan Mason for this 500th appearance.  We then had a respectful minutes silence to mark Armistice Day.

Sholing started brightly and after Lee Wort's shot was tipped over the bar, from the resultant corner on 9 mins, we took the lead.  Jake Cope's delivery found ROB FLOOKS whose header went over the line before the keeper could push it out. The linesman immediately indicated it was a goal.

Wayne Robinson showed his pace & skill to beat his marker and advance into the box, he fired a low ball towards Dan Mason, but a cluster of bodies blocked his effort.  Lee Wort connected with a powerful volley that screamed just over a minute later.

Gosney's clearance fell to a Lymington player, who knocked it back past him, but without much power and it was a comfortable clearance in the 6 yard box.

The game got increasingly scrappy and niggly.  The referee was playing the advantage after some hefty challenges, which does keep the game flowing, but you sensed that when the first foul isn't given, the subsequent challenges will be worse. 

This was the case just before half time, Wayne Robinson rode one challenge, but then Walker went through the back of Wayne with a reckless challenge that sparked some pushing & shoving between the two sides.  Lymington's No5, Batley, appeared to be on a mission to get sent off from the start of the game. Getting booked earlier and then got a talking to after another poor challenge.  So he stuck out to the officials during the mellee and received a 2nd yellow to leave the visitors down to 9 men.  HT 1-0

Sholing were to spend long periods of the second half camped in the Lymington defensive third.  Soon after the restart, Rob Flooks header back across goal saw D-Dan hook an effort onto the post and behind. 

Flooksy then advanced from defence and let a long range shot go that the keeper palmed away.  The Lymington goal was living a charmed life, combined with their players putting bodies on the line to block several scrambles in their 6 yard box.

TJ & Wayne were combining well down the right, putting in a number of good crosses that always seem to just evade a finish by the players in the middle.

Lymington seemed happy to waste time, despite being behind, to limit Sholing building momentum and still give them an outside chance of grabbing a point.  The nearest they came was when Gosney was adjudged to handle accidently outside his area, but the freekick went straight into the wall.

Dan Mason probably should have scored when he opted to go with a scissor kick rather than a header to a cross, with his effort going over from close range. Robinson throught he had finally got our second goal when his powerful header appeared to be as far over the line as the first half goal, but this linesman indicated nothing and the referee played on. Not the best of games, but all important to get the 3 points and another clean sheet.  FT 1-0

Dave Diaper : "Pleased to get the 3 points and a clean sheet against Lymington. 1-0 up and playing against 9 men leaves you vulnerable to be caught on the break, but the concentration of the lads was 100%.  Credit to Lymington for keeping going"

Next Game : Sholing v Willand Rovers - Saturday 19 November 3pm - Southern League

Photos courtesy of EspieJaz, swipe to view pics :