Salisbury 3-0 Sholing

Scorer :  Jamar Smith 7, Noah Coppin 28, Charlie Gunson 45+4

Date: Saturday 27 January 2024, 3pm – Southern League Premier South

Venue: Raymond McEnhill Stadium   Attendance: 839

Salisbury: Joshua Gold, Jamar Smith, Aaron Simpson, Tom Leggett, Sido Jombati ©, Sam Perry, Charlie Gunson (Harry Williams 69), Ryan Penny, Dan Fitchett (James Harding 69), Josh Hedges (Wayne Robinson 46), Noah Coppin.  Unused Subs : Ernest Osei, Richard McIntyre

Booked : Jamar Smith, Sam Perry

Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Brad Targett (Charlie Wagstaffe 87), Marv McLean, Owen Roundell, George Milner-Smith, Byron Mason ©, Charlie Davis, Keane Anderson, Dan Mason, Luka Chawell (Karlos Gregory 45), Alex MacAllister (Lee Wort 52).  Unused subs : Rob Flooks, Jake Flannigan

Booked : Marv McLean, Byron Mason.  Red Card : Keane Anderson

Boatmen were defeated by second place Salisbury in a game the hosts deserved to win, but it wasn't the whole story of a frustrating match.

Team News : Dos kept the same starting line-up as the one that thrashed Winch, with Lee Wort & Karlos Gregory on the bench.  Salisbury had former Sholing player, Wayne Robinson on their bench.

Salisbury dominated the early stages, creating several good chances to score and taking one of them.  Jamar Smith cut in from the left wing and from just outside the box smashed a shot across Gos and into the far corner for a spectacular goal.   The home side then hit the post and somehow didn't score when the goal was gaping.

We had barely made it out of our own half in the first 20 minutes, but slowly started to work some attacks, with Brad Targett especially, causing the left back a lot of problems and his cross found Luka, but he opted against a first time shot and the chance was gone.  Salisbury doubled the lead when some quick interplay saw a ball clipped over the Sholing backline and Noah Coppin finished past Gosney.

We then entered a 10 minute spell where Sholing were on the receiving end of some decisions. The last Salisbury defender, Perry, misjudged the bounce of a long ball, which Luka Chalwell capitalised on by dispossing him and was hauled down from behind on the edge of the box.  Luka was through on goal, with the only other defender 15 yards away behind and to the left of him, but the referee decided it wasn't a clear goalscoring opportunity and showed a yellow to Perry.

Then Brad pushed the ball past the left back inside the box, got beyond him and there was definite contact on Brad from behind as he went down, but no penalty was given.  Brad once again skinned the full back and was taken down with a challenge a rugby player would have been proud of, but play was waved on.

Then from a Sholing corner, Salisbury looked like they may break away with numbers and Keane Anderson "took one for the team" by bringing down a Salisbury player.  He was a fraction late, but he didn't seem to be off the ground with what it looked like a boot on boot challenge and it was a huge shock to see the Ref pull out a straight red instead of a yellow.

To rub salt into the wounds, Salisbury got a third deep in added time through Charlie Gunson.   HT 3-0

The second half was pretty much a non-event. The game was flat, with Salisbury content to conserve their energies and see out the match.  However, big credit to Sholing for keeping their discipline and with 10 men, work hard and defend well for 45 minutes.   Gosney made a terrific double save and although the Boatmen had some nearly moments going forward, we weren't able to test the home keeper.   There was however, big cheers reserved by the traveling Sholing fans for the returning Lee Wort who came on for the last half hour.

Many thanks to our fans for vocally backing the players right to the final whistle, it's very much appreciated.  FT 3-0

Dos : "Congratulations to Salisbury who are a good team and a good club and deserved the win yesterday.  They are 2nd for a reason and it shows how far we have come that we feel very disappointed not to have made the game closer.  Two weeks without a match didn't help our sharpness and Salisbury were right at it and it was a difficult opening 20 minutes.  However, from that point onwards, I felt the game was more even"

"There were three big incidents towards the end of the first half. Perry stopped a clear goalscoring opportunity for Luka, but wasn't sent off.  Then Brad was brought down in the box, but no penalty given. Brad's ankles were covered in cuts after the match after some hefty challenges on him all match.  Finally we were reduced to 10 men for a straight red for Keane. Those decisions go the other way and the game might have had a different outcome"
 
"It was damage limitation for the second half, but I was proud of the players commitment and character against a very good team in challenging circumstances.  Same goes for our supporters who kept with us to the end"
 

Next Game : Sholing v Beaconsfield Town - Saturday 3 Feb 3pm - Southern Premier