Sholing 1-1 Westbury United

Scorers : Sami Makhloufi 4  /  Harvey Flippance 81

Date: Saturday 4 February 2023, 3pm – Southern League Division 1 South

Venue:  Imperial Homes Stadium  Attendance: 184

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Owen Roundell, Marv McLean, Charlie Wagstaffe, Dan Miller ©, Rob Flooks, Wayne Robinson (Jake Cope 87), Leon Baker, Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Sami Makhloufi.  Unused subs : Byron Mason, Ryan Harfield, Cohwen Whitaker, Kamil Adediran

Bookings : Charlie Wagstaffe, Rob Flooks, Wayne Robinson

Westbury United : Jonathan Hill, Stephen Hulbert, Ryan Bole (Matt Morris 63), Aaron Cockerill, Dan Price ©, Jacob Hutchings, Ashton Shanley, Emmanuel Adepitan, Harvey Flippance, Joseph Stradling, Sam Jordan (Jack Biddlescombe 31). Unused subs : Will Thomson, Martin Johnson, Ricky Hulbert

Bookings : Emmanuel Adepitan

Man of the Match : Ryan Gosney

Sholing were denied another 3 points by a late equaliser in an even game with Westbury United. Another fast start saw Sami put us ahead, then both goalkeepers excelled before the visitors left with a share of the points.

Team News : Dave Diaper was without TJ, Brad Targett & Josh Batt and despite Byron being named on the bench, he was unlikely to be risked. Owen Roundell came into defence on the right side.  The bench had a youthful look, with Ryan Harfield getting his first call up from the U23's.

It was Ryan Gosney's 350th game for the Boatmen and although we are obviously biased, hard to think of a better keeper at this level. Gos' 141 clean sheets certainly backs up that claim.

For the 8th time this season, we got off to a scoring start inside 5 minutes. Owen Roundell's long throw from the right was nodded on by Dan Mason to SAMI MAKHLOUFI on the edge of the 6 yard box to smash home.

An understrength nod back towards Gosney was seized upon by Jordan, who knocked it over Gos and he watched as the ball dropped and bounced up against the post before being cleared.  Jordan thought he had scored soon after, getting a powerful flick header to an inswinging cross, but Gosney made a superb point blank reaction save.

Marv was having the right back on toast and from a jinking run, his excellent curling cross to the far post saw Wayne Robinson get his header all wrong and nod wide from close range.  Wayne beat his man for pace and whipped over a cross that was just inches away from the arriving Dan Mason.

It was the turn of the Westbury keeper to pull off a spectacular save, denying a powerful shot from Lee Wort from going in under the crossbar.   The end to end action continued with Westbury having a looping header tipped over by Gos, who then made an impressive claim under pressure from the corner.

Sami threaded the ball through for Wayne on the right side of the area, with his shot beating the keeper, but also the far post.  HT 1-0

The ball was just not falling right for Dan Mason straight after the restart as the Westbury defence cleared their lines.  The visitors then again tested the reflexes of Gosney, as Stradling hit a fierce angled shot that was beaten away.

Both sides then cancelled each other out, with especially, Dan Miller and Dan Price seemingly heading and blocking attacks at either end of the pitch.  Sholing were finding it difficult to get our front two involved and the success down the flanks in the first half wasn't recreated in the second half.

It did feel as if Sholing would hold out for the win, but that wasn't to be when Westbury got a bit of good fortune with their equaliser.  A shot from long range from the left side of the area looked to be either going wide or straight to Gosney who was moving across his line, but Harvey Flippance stuck out a foot and the ball diverted inside the near post to give Gos no chance.

Boatmen piled forward in search of a stoppage time winner.  Sami Makhloufi saw his shot from the edge of the box tipped over the bar by Hill.  Then Rob Flooks climbed highest at the far post, but his header dropped narrowly wide.

In the 95th minute, a Westbury defender skied the ball straight up in the air from inside his 6 yard box, the ball fell amongst a throng of players where it was hit goalwards by a player in red & white and appeared to be blocked from going in by an outstretched arm. It was no surprise to any Sholing fan that once again, a handball shout didn't go our way as the Referee stood unmoved.   FT 1-1

Dave Diaper : "Disappointed not to get the 3 points against a very good Westbury side. However, every point is crucial and it was important to get something from this game.  Now we move onto Tuesday's big game against the pre-season promotion favourites, AFC Totton"

Next Game : Sholing v AFC Totton - Tuesday 7 February 7:45pm - Southern League

Photos courtesy of EspieJaz, swipe to view pics :