Paulton Rovers 0-2 Sholing

Scorers : Sami Makhloufi 37, Lee Wort 45+2

Date: Saturday 26 November 2022, 3pm – Southern League Division 1 South

Venue: First 4 Pools Stadium  Attendance: 170

Paulton Rovers : Aaron Sainsbury, Nick Hewlett, Joseph Paradise (Mircea Llea 80), Chris Peck, Dan Dempsey, Neil Martin ©, Martin Lenihan (Leo Eglin 66), Jack Dancey, Joseph Morgan (David O'Hare 66), Will Hailston, Ed Butcher. Unused subs : Paulo Borges, Kai Williamson

Bookings : Neil Martin, Leo Eglin

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, TJ Cuthbertson, Brad Targett, Rob Flooks, Dan Miller, Rob Nicholls, Sami Makhloufi (Wayne Robinson 67), Byron Mason © (Owen Roundell 78), Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Jake Cope.  Unused subs : Josh Batt, Marv McLean, Charlie Wagstaffe

Bookings :

Man of the Match : Rob Nicholls

Sholing picked up yet another win and clean sheet to extend our lead at the top of the division to 11 points.  Two first half goals for Sami Makhloufi & Lee Wort got us the 3 points, but it was a disciplined display that kept the home side at arms length for most the match.

Team News : Byron Mason returned to the starting line-up and Marv & Wags returned to be available for the bench. 

Today was probably the last time we saw Rob Nicholls in a Sholing shirt, as this week he starts his new job as the Academy Manager at Sunderland AFC.  We wish Rob all the best, he will be missed on and off the pitch.

The game would be played throughout in drizzle, whipped in by a chilly wind down the length of the ground.  The Paulton pitch was in good shape considering the recent downpours and Sholing started the match kicking down the slope with the wind behind us.

Was a quiet opening 10 minutes from both sides, with the Boatmen taking a while to adjust to both the slope and the wind, overhitting a few forward balls early on.   On 12 minutes, Targett's throw into the box saw the ball sit up nicely for Byron to hit a shot that went narrowly over.

Sholing looked a constant threat down the left and Cope's cross on 15 mins was heading towards Wort, but a combination of the keeper & a defender, smuggled it behind before Lee could pounce.   From the corner, it appeared that Boatmen players got into each others way, with the ball flicking off a head and wide.

Paulton had a period of pressure around the half hour mark, with Gosney called into his first save, getting down well to a shot from a recyled corner.  Then Ed Butcher hit a spectacular long range volley that went just wide.

Sholing responded by dominating the final 15 minutes of the first half.  Lee Wort ran down the left, shrugged off a challenge as he went into the box, but his pass was just beyond Dan Mason in the middle.  Jake Cope cut onto his right, but curled an effort wide of the upright.  Lee Wort had a great chance as the ball dropped in the area from Byron's header, but he skewed his effort past the post.

On 37 minutes, we found the breakthrough and it was no surprise it came down the left hand side. Brad Targett exchanged passes with Cope before breaking into the box and squaring for Dan Mason to lay the ball into the path of SAMI MAKHLOUFI to finish powerfully from 12 yards for his first goal of the season.

Dan Mason hit a 25 yard freekick inches wide before we doubled our lead in added time. Jake Cope again showed his pace to outsprint the defence down the left and he put over a brilliant curling low cross between the keeper and his back line that put the ball on a plate for LEE WORT to side foot volley back across the keeper for his 17th goal this campaign.  HT 0-2

10 minutes into the second half, we almost got a third when from Cope's corner, Rob Flooks met the ball with a powerful header that smacked against the underside of the bar and the keeper appeared to get enough of a touch on it to stop it going over the line as it came down.

The game was being well officiated and it took until the 63rd minute for the first rash challenge of the match when Byron Mason was fouled from behind.  Byron carried on, but later came off with Owen Roundell replacing him.  Sami was also replaced by Wayne Robinson, who was quickly testing the full back for pace down the right.

Paulton were trying to get back into the game, but their attacks were not finding a way past the back four of TJ, Miller, Flooks & Targett, with Rob Nicholls providing non-stop protection in front of them.  Butcher had a shot go wide and Gosney had a couple of punches from corners as we looked comfortable with our lead.

There wasn't many other chances for us to extend our lead, Lee Wort blazed over with a shot at the near post that cannon off the back of the stand, scattering the Sholing fans gathered there.  Worty then crossed into the 6 yard box, but the ball took a high bounce to evade Dan Mason arriving at the far stick.

The final whistle blew to give us our 5th win on the spin, with 4 clean sheets in this run. Another 3 points gained and pleasing to get it at a ground that is hard to get a result at.  FT 0-2

Dave Diaper : "We didn’t hit the heights today, but still an excellent away win. Keep ticking em off!"

Next Game : Aldershot Town v Sholing - Wednesday 30 November 7:45pm - Hampshire Cup

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