Dorchester Town 1-2 Sholing

Scorers : Will Spetch 90 / Dan Mason 49, 55

Date: Tuesday 24 October 2023, 7:45pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: Avenue Stadium   Attendance: 385

Dorchester Town : Adam Forster, Jack Dickson, Oliver Haste, Will Spetch, Jordan Ngalo ©, Ed James, Lewis Waterfield (Louie Slough 55), Corby Moore, Leighton Thomas (Jordan Foot 68), Shaquille Gwengwe, Olaf Koszela.  Unused subs : Alex Moyse, Jordan Barnett, Eccott Drew

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Jake Flannigan, Marv McLean ©, Karlos Gregory (Jake Adams 88), Owen Roundell, Rob Flooks, Keane Anderson, Charlie Davis (Adam Payce 82), Dan Mason, Jake Cope, Brad Targett (Lloyd Isgrove 77). Unused subs : Byron Mason & Dan Miller

Bookings : Marv McLean, Karlos Gregory, Owen Roundell
Red Card : Owen Roundell (2nd yellow)

Man of the Match : Karlos Gregory

Paul Doswell started his managerial era at the Boatmen with an impressive win on the road.  On a filthy night, weather wise, Sholing deservedly took home the 3 points after Dan Mason scored two almost identical goals from Charlie Davis corners in the second half.

Team News : New signing Karlos Gregory made his debut and recent signing, Keane Anderson made his first start, with both paired in midfield.  Charlie Wagstaffe was suspended and despite being on the bench, Byron & Dan Miller weren't fit enough to feature.  Was a little too early for Jake Hesketh to be involved either.

Without a 3G pitch, there would have been no way the game would have gone ahead as the heavens opened and it didn't stop raining heavily until near the end of the match.   Our first league meeting with Dorchester at their impressive stadium and they also had a new manager debut, as Tommy Killick took charge of his first home game.

Sholing made a bright start, demonstrating a possession based approach that saw some nice incisive football being played and in the 3rd minute a quick move down the left saw Jake Cope cross towards Dan Mason in the middle, but the defender deflected the ball behind.

Charlie Davis was getting some good natured (I think!) stick from the Dorchester fans who used to cheer him and he hit a dipping shot that was held by the keeper.  Karlos Gregory showed what he was all about early on, putting a lovely weighted ball through the defence for Marv to run onto and pick out D-Dan in the middle, but his shot was blocked.

It was all Sholing early on, Charlie Davis was released down the right flank, but he was denied by a good save by Forster who made himself big as he rushed out of the goal.  Copey tried his luck, cutting in from the left, but curled an effort wide.

The home side came more into it as the half progressed, but apart from forcing a few corners and having a goal disallowed for a clear push in the 6 yard box, they didn't trouble a hard-working Sholing defence.

Boatmen ended the half the stronger, Jake Flannigan's cross on the run was met by Cope, but the keeper saved his low shot.  Dan Mason controlled the ball and turned his marker to fire a ball across the 6 yard box, with Marv claiming he had been dragged back as he was about to tap in.  The referee decided otherwise.   Then right on half time, a brilliant defence splitting pass by Jake Cope released Brad Targett, who advanced into the box and checked onto his left before firing a shot that missed the post by a whisker.  HT 0-0

Sholing made the breakthrough early in the second half when a right wing corner by Charlie Davis found DAN MASON to flick a downward header just inside the far post.  Five minutes later, it was an almost carbon copy of that first goal. After Jake Flannigan's cross-cum-shot was tipped over the bar, Charlie's right side corner, was met by DAN MASON with a header slightly further out than his first goal, but into the same far corner and the striker gleefully celebrated with his teammates in front of the noisy group of Sholing supporters on the terrace.

Boatmen continued to play some good stuff from back to front and the young duo in midfield of Karlos & Keane were pulling the strings and providing good link-up play to the widemen and forwards.

Charlie Davis put a 22 yard freekick narrowly over before a decent shout for a penalty fell on deaf ears when Copey appeared to be tripped as he ran into the box.

Dorchester created their best chance in the 82 min when Haste was put in down the left, he beat Gosney with his shot, but the ball skidded wide of the goal.  Gos did well to backpeddle and tip over a cross that might have dropped over him.  He then got down to block a shot as Dorcester pushed for a goal.

The referee signalled 7 minutes of added time and it was to be a slightly nervy one for Sholing after Dorchester scored when Will Spetch fired home from just inside the box.   It prompted the usual lifting of the home side and the previously quiet home support found their voices.   Owen Roundell was harshly given a 2nd yellow and we were down to ten men.  Dan Mason went into the centre-half position, but despite playing 9 mins of added time and a few balls into the box, we saw out the game and got the 3 points we thoroughly deserved.   FT 1-2

Reaction from Paul Doswell in his interview that will be posted later.

Next Game : Didcot Town v Sholing - Saturday 28 Sep 3pm - Southern Premier

Photos courtesy of EspieJaz, swipe to view