Swindon Supermarine 0-0 Sholing

Date: Saturday 11 November 2023, 3pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: The Webbswood Stadium   Attendance: 279

Swindon Supermarine : Conor Brann, Sam Turl, Ryan Campbell, Matt Liddiard, Ioan Richards, Jake Andrews ©, Zach Kotwica, Liban Ibrahim, David Sims-Burgess, Joseph Tumelty, Levi Irving.  Subs : Toby Raison, Louis Evans, Brad Gray, Henry Spalding, George Dowling

Bookings : Liban Ibrahim, David Sims-Burgess, Joseph Tumelty

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Jake Flannigan, Marv McLean, Karlos Gregory, Dan Miller, Byron Mason ©, Keane Anderson (Charlie Wagstaffe 88), Charlie Davis (Jake Adams 90), Dan Mason, Jake Cope (Lloyd Isgrove 82), Brad Targett.

Bookings : Marv McLean, Byron Mason, Charlie Davis, Brad Targett

Man of the Match : Ryan Gosney

Boatmen claimed a point on the road and extended our unbeaten run in the league to seven games.

Team News : We were without Rob Flooks & Jake Hesketh through injury and Owen Roundell served a one match suspension.  Dan Miller started his first league game of the season and there was a new face in the dugout, George Milner-Smith, a centre back who has joined us on loan from Aldershot Town.  Unfortunately, his registration was too late for today's game.

Brad Targett was making his 200th appearance for the Boatmen. Congratulations to Brad, who is still only 22 and it feels like yesterday he was making his debut as a 16 year old.

Sholing started on the front foot, knocking the ball around at a high tempo and forcing an early corner which Byron nodded over.  Karlos Gregory tried a measured shot from the edge of the area, but it went straight into the keeper's midrift.  It was a similar story just before that, with Jake Cope not getting the connection he wanted.

The home side were playing with a quality & intensity that belied their current league position and grew more into the game, having a header saved by Gos and a shot clear the crossbar.  In the space of a few minutes, both Dan Miller and Jake Flannigan made excellent last ditch blocks and then Gosney did well to turn a shot around his near post after it came through a crowd of players.

There was the unusual, but impressive sight of Dan Miller storming forward down the left wing, turning past a couple of players and winning a corner.

Supermarine had the best chance of the half when a shot on the angle from the left, beat Gos, but was cleared off the line by Marv, in the scramble that followed, the home side had a loud appeal for a penalty as the ball deflected off Marv and round the post, but the ref & linesman gave the corner.  HT 0-0

Boatmen had the home side pinned into their defensive third after the restart.  Dan Mason was unlucky when a ball he controlled just spun away from him as he was about to swivel and probably score.  Keane Anderson fizzed a daisycutter from the edge of the box that the keeper fingertipped round the post, before Brad Targett had a snap-shot saved.

But, much like the first half, Supermarine rode that pressure and started to take control and create the better chances.  A shot on the turn was well saved by Gos, who then also gathered an angled effort at his near post.

Was a huge chance for home side on 82 minutes, a good move down the left saw the ball fired into the 6 yard box where the arriving David Sims-Burgess, somehow put it wide with the goal gaping.

Sholing didn't make better use of a couple of set-pieces as the game entered added time and both sides had good chances to grab the win.  Firstly, Lloyd Isgrove slipped in Jake Adams, who dug out a left foot shot that the keeper saved.  Then down the other end, Ryan Gosney did superb to save with his legs at his near post as the game ended in an entertaining stalemate. FT 0-0

Dos : "An excellent point against a team who have massively improved in recent weeks under new management. It's a great set-up at Supermarine and I like to thank them for their friendly welcome yesterday.  I can see them climbing the league table over the rest of the season."

"A point was a fair reflection of the game, although Supermarine's chances were slightly better than ours in a game that deserved a goal or two for each side, but the defences were in good form."

"Gos, Flans, Millsy, By & Marv were outstanding and we joked at half time that Dan had turned into Ronaldo for that fantastic run down the left wing!"  

"Both teams looked fatigued after playing in midweek, making the end of the game a bit hectic after both sides had taken turns to control spells of the match, but Ryan Gosney made a great save right at the end to ensure a deserved point" 

"I've continued to be impressed by the way the players have adapted so quickly to the change in management, taking on a lot of information in only a short space of time and applying it.  Same goes for Marc & Ross assisting me and special mention to Terry Miller for his help yesterday while Edge was away" 

"Once again, huge thanks to our supporters for coming out and getting behind the team so vocally. It helps us tremendously and I can't wait for our first home game on Saturday against Tiverton"

Next Game : Sholing v Tiverton Town - Saturday 18 Nov 3pm - Southern Premier

Photos courtesy of EspieJaz, swipe to view