Sholing 3-0 Swindon Supermarine

Scorer : Charlie Davis 10, Dan Mason 57 (pen), Lee Wort 71

Date: Saturday 20 April 2024 - 3pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: Imperial Homes Stadium  Attendance: 408

Sholing : Giullo Girelli, Brad Targett (George Milner-Smith 84), Jake Flannigan Keane Anderson, Dan Miller, Byron Mason ©, Charlie Davis, Jake Hesketh (Leon Baker 75), Dan Mason, Lee Wort, Billy Stedman (Alex MacAllister 85).  Unused subs : Luka Chalwell, Marv McLean

Swindon Supermarine : Fiachra Pagel, Sam Turl, Ryan Campbell, Matt Liddiard, Matt Bower, Jake Andrews ©, Zach Kotwica, Liban Ibrahim, David Sims-Burgess, Michael Elias-Fernandes (George Dowling 82), Harry Williams.  Subs : James Edge, Billy Thomas, Ioan Richards

Man of the Match:  Jake Flannigan

Boatmen took a massive step towards safety with a fantastic win over Supermarine. An outstanding performance saw Sholing comfortably take the 3 points to move up to 14th

Team News : After more hectic activity behind the scenes to sign an emergency keeper to cover our injured emergency keeper, we were able to sign Giullo Girelli from AFC Totton.  Thank you to the Stags for their help.  Giullo had played a couple of pre-season games for us last season before joining Totton and playing on loan at Chichester.  

It was a beautiful day for the last home game at the Imperial Homes Stadium this season.  The ground looking superb bathed in sunshine and a good sized crowd turned out to support the Boatmen, who started the game as they meant to go on, dominating possession and not giving the visitors a sniff.

Brad Targett played a one two with D-Dan to cut the ball back for Jake Flannigan in the 6 yard box, who didn't get the connection he wanted and the ball was hacked off the line.  Swindon were not coping with Sholing's quick interplay and after a succession of fouls, we had a freekick 25 yards out, to the left of the penalty area.  CHARLIE DAVIS hit a stunning freekick over the wall and curled inside the near post !

Boatmen went hunting for more goals, Wort & Davis had shots blocked and surging runs by Billy and Hesketh ended with last ditch tackles by the visitors.  Charlie Davis almost repeated his goal when his more central freekick was brilliantly tipped round the post by the keeper.  Jake Hesketh danced through the Supermarine defence, but his shot was pushed over the bar.  I imagine the visitors were relieved only to be one goal down at the break.  HT 1-0

Sholing kept the intensity high from the restart, Lee Wort beating one defender to set up a 2 on 1 breakaway, but with Hesketh free on his left, the striker's pass clipped the heel of the last defender.  But on 56 mins we got the deserved second goal.  Jake Flannigan on the overlap down the right crossed into the box where Jake Hesketh got his toe to the ball before the defender who clattered into him for a penalty that even the visitors didn't question.  DAN MASON left the keeper rooted to the spot as he fired low into the left hand corner for his 19th league goal of the season.

Boatmen defence were well on top of whatever Swindon could muster in attack, giving debutant Giullo Girelli a comfortable afternoon in goal.  The visitors had a couple of shots go high, wide and not very handsome, meanwhile, Sholing continued to look like scoring more.

On 71 minutes, LEE WORT dispossessed a Swindon defender, 40 yards from goal, ran into the area and smashed a low shot into the far corner for a classic Worty goal that we've seen a hundred times before and never has it felt sweeter.

Swindon looped a shot onto the roof of the net for the closest they came on a disappointing day for the visitors. Meanwhile, Dan Mason had a shot saved as time ticked down before big cheers at the final whistle.  

The maths mean we are not 100% safe yet, but will know better our situation after midweek games by others below us, before our final game at Tiverton on Saturday.  Today was an outstanding team performance under huge pressure and thanks to everyone who came out to support us.  FT 3-0

Last Game : Tiverton v Sholing - Saturday 27 April 3pm

Photos courtesy of DB Photography, swipe to view pics :