Sholing 3-3 Hungerford Town

Scorers : Dan Mason 45+3, Brad Targett 46 & 70  /  Abulai Sambu 18, Conor McDonagh 20, 45

Date: Saturday 21 October, 3pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: Imperial Homes Stadium  Attendance: 243

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Jake Flannigan, Marv McLean, Charlie Wagstaffe (Keane Anderson 56), Owen Roundell, Charlie Davis, Lloyd Isgrove (Wayne Robinson 46), Byron Mason ©, Dan Mason, Jake Cope, Brad Targett. Unused subs : Rob Flooks, Adam Payce, Jake Adams

Bookings : Byron Mason, Dan Mason

Hungerford Town : Ryan Clarke, Rhys Tyler ©, Jack Wright, Matt Berry-Hargreaves, Ramarni Medford-Smith, Jack Alexander, Bradley Hooper, Sam De St Croix (Sean Moore 11), Elis Watts, Conor McDonough (Slavi Spasov 83), Adulai Sambu (Louie Paget 83).  Unused subs : Luke Softley, Luke Carnell.

Bookings :  Ramarni Medford-Smith, Bradley Hooper

Powerplus Man of the Match : Byron Mason

The end of an era as the 25 year reign of Dave Diaper's management of Vospers/VT/Sholing came to a close. After 1,210 games in charge and taking the club from the Hampshire League to the Southern Premier, with 16 trophies along the way and many incredible highs and actually, very few lows.  It probably wasn't the result Diapes would have wanted for his final game, but it was at least a match that will stick in the memory as the Boatmen came from 3 down to grab a point.

Team News : Charlie Wagstaffe returned to the starting line-up as Jake Adams dropped to the bench.

30 minutes before kick-off, a deluge of epic proportions soaked the Imperial Homes Stadium and at one point, the referee was getting concerned about some standing water, but it soon drained, albeit leaving a very heavy surface to play on.

Hungerford kindly joined the guard of honour as Dave Diaper was applauded onto the pitch.  The crowd contained many former players, not only from his 25 years as our manager, but the 35 in total since he hung up his boots.

Might have been the emotion of the occasion, but Sholing looked a bit flat and nervous on the ball and the visitors were to take full advantage.  On 18 mins, Abulai Sambu, made space in the box with a drag-back and sidefooted past the exposed Gosney.  

On 20 mins, a poor kick-out by Gos went to Conor McDonagh who deftly curled the ball back past the keeper and into the empty net from 25 yards to double Hungerford's lead.   Owen Roundell had to clear off the line, but on 45 mins, the visitors had their third when Conor McDonagh measured a shot that he set outside the post and watched as it curled inside the upright for an impressive finish.

It looked as gloomy as the skies above for Sholing, but we got a glimmer of hope 3 minutes into stoppage time when a freekick into the box was headed by Brad Targett towards DAN MASON at the far post who stretched to reach it, with the keeper initially saving, but D-Dan forced the rebound over the line.   HT 1-3

Wayne Robinson came on for the 2nd half to inject some much needed energy, but straight from the restart, we pulled another goal back. Jake Flannigan's through ball caught the Hungerford backline napping and BRAD TARGETT got between the last man and the onrushing keeper to knock the ball in from the edge of the box.

We now looked a completely different team to the first half, with a hunger to turn the game around.  Dan Mason had the ball in the net from Byron's knock down, but a linesman's flag ruled the goal out, not sure why that was the case.

Wayne was causing Hungerford problems down the right with his pace and it was a similar story with Targett down the left flank.  On 70 minutes the equaliser came when following a corner, the ball came to BRAD TARGETT who cushioned a measured header that floated over the mass of bodies in the box and the keeper and dropped into the net!

There looked to be only one winner from this point.  Targett was denied a hat-trick by a good save and Ryan Clarke also denied Robinson.  A Hungerford defender somehow managed to hook the ball over his bar from a yard out, but Sholing couldn't find a fourth goal to take the win in the proverbial game of two halves. 

One era came to its end, but now a new one begins as Paul Doswell takes charge.  FT 3-3

Dave Diaper : "You can never write us off. Ok, we conceded three sloppy goals from situations we must improve on, but scoring just before halftime to make it 1-3, proved vital and changed the dynamics of the game.  A few choice words were said during the interval and scoring just after the restart, gave us confidence and momentum. It came as no surprise when we equalised.  We should have gone on and won, but we failed to convert chances. Overall, a fair result as Hungerford played well first half"

Next Game : Dorchester v Sholing - Tuesday 24 Oct 7:45pm - Southern Prem

Photos courtesy of EspieJaz, swipe to view pics :