Sholing 0-0 Bracknell Town

Date: Monday 1 January 2024 - 3pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: Imperial Homes Stadium  Attendance: 230

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Brad Targett, Marv McLean, Owen Roundell, George Milner-Smith (Mathias Tepe 84), Byron Mason ©, Charlie Davis, Keane Anderson (Charlie Wagstaffe 60), Dan Mason, Jake Cope (Ryan Harfield 62), Karlos Gregory. Unused subs : Sam Mould, Fin Du Port

Yellow Card:  Charlie Davis, Dan Mason, Jake Cope

Bracknell Town : Michael Eacott, Joe Wilson, Gabriel George, Max Herbert, Darryl Harrison, Olukayode Osu, Adam Mekki (Ben Harris 84), George Knight, Jordan Espirit, Ashley Lodge ©, Joe Grant (Haydon Vaughan 70).  Unused Subs : Elliot Legg, Adam Richards, Liam Tack

Yellow Card:  Ben Harris

Man of the Match:  Ryan Gosney

Boatmen defended strongly to repel a second half onslaught by Bracknell and claim a hard fought point to start the new year.

Team News : George Milner-Smith returned from injury, but Dan Miller, Jake Flannigan, Jake Hesketh & Rob Flooks were all missing.

Game started in light rain, which would turn into a downpour for the second half, whipped into the Imperial Homes Stadium by a strong wind.  Sholing started brightly, having success down the right flank and we struck the post on 8 minutes when the ball sat up nicely for Charlie Davis to leather a volley that crashed against the upright.

Ryan Gosney was called into his first of many saves in the match on 15 mins, when Bracknell got in behind, but Gos spread himself to save.   The visitors shot narrowly wide before George Milner-Smith thought he was going to nod in Copey's cross, but the defender just got enough on it to take it away.

The Bracknell keeper palmed out a cross to Byron Mason on the edge of the box, who fired a first time shot that went just wide.   In increasingly difficult conditions, both sides were making it an entertaining first 45, but the half ended goalless.  HT 0-0

The rain was relentless in the second half, as was the visitors attacks, but the Boatmen had the first decent chance when Dan Mason controlled, turned and got off a shot that Eacott saved to his right.  A header at the far post looked to give Bracknell the lead, but an instinctive save by Gos somehow put it round the post.

More efforts from Bracknell went close as Sholing, led by the evergreen Byron Mason, put their bodies on the line with some last ditch defending, including a goal-line clearance.   When the visitors did get an opening, they found Gosney in top form, diving full length to tip a shot round the post and following it up with somehow making a save whilst flat out in the mud.

Sholing were trying to hit on the break, but Bracknell were very quick to win the ball back and quickly launch more attacks. A penalty appeal was turned down before they were awarded a freekick on the edge of the box.  Harris curled his effort over the wall and onto the base of the post, the ball pinged back into play and found Herbert who then shot against the other post!

Deep into stoppage time and yet another superb save by Gos.  Bracknell's last chance to win it saw another freekick just outside the box, but this one was put narrowly wide as the game ended in an entertaining goalless draw.  FT 0-0

Dos : "It was an important point for us as once again the players showed great character and workrate to come away from a difficult game with something.  I watched Bracknell outclass Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup recently and they are the best team we've faced since I've been at the club, so I was pleased to see an even first half"

"The second half was very difficult for us playing into driving rain and wind, against a very good side.  We lived by the seat of our pants, with Gosney outstanding, Byron leading by example and everyone putting a shift in to protect our goal.  Credit to the lads for a valuable point"

"Was a shame to not have a local derby on New Year's Day. I struggle to understand this fixture list and the league should be avoiding clubs and supporters making unnecessary trips in and around bank holidays.  We play Totton & Winchester in the coming weeks, we should have been playing one of them today, not a team from Berkshire and I'm sure Bracknell would have preferred a local derby also"

"The injuries are mounting up again, Hesketh, Miller and Flannigan are all a few weeks away and Flooksy was unavailable due to the concussion protocol.  We are working hard to boost the squad with some new faces, it's no secret that I would like 2 or 3 new players in attacking positions."

Next Game : AFC Totton v Sholing - Saturday 6 Jan 3pm - Southern League

Photos courtesy of EspieJaz, swipe to view pics :