Sholing 0-1 Walton & Hersham
Date: Tuesday 6 February 2024 - 3pm – Southern League Premier South
Venue: Imperial Homes Stadium Attendance: 103
Sholing : Ryan Gosney, Brad Targett, Mathias Tepe (Marv McLean 46), Owen Roundell, George Milner-Smith, Byron Mason ©, Charlie Davis, Charlie Wagstaffe (Fin Du Port 74), Dan Mason, Luka Chalwell, Alex MacAllister (Lee Wort 46). Unused subs : Noa Prestel
Yellow Card: Brad Targett, Owen Roundell, George Milner-Smith, Byron Mason, Lee Wort. Second Yellow/Red : George Milner-Smith
Walton & Hersham : Tyla Dickinson, Joe Pratley-Jones, Eoin Bolger, Arsen Ujkaj, Mitchal Gough, Johl Powell, Stanley Flaherty (Anis Nuur 81), Alex Kelly, Ed Simon ©, Nana Owusu, Trae Cook-Appiah (John Gilbert 66) Unused Subs : Maliq Morris, Jake Frailing
Yellow Card: Eoin Bolger, Mitchal Gough, Trae Cook-Appiah
Man of the Match: Brad Targett
Was all hands on deck for the Boatmen in stormy conditions as we slipped to a narrow defeat
Team News : Luka Chalwell and Mathias Tepe returned to the starting line-up. Wort & Marv dropped to the bench. Anderson was suspended and Hesketh & Gregory unavailable.
The wind was already gusting between 40mph & 50mph before kick off and that was then made worse by horizontal rain as soon as the game got underway. Fans had already battled through the traffic chaos on the roads around the ground and the small crowd sought shelter from the elements.
Walton & Hersham started the quicker, closing us down and had the first chance when Trae Cook got beyond the last man, but Gos was quickly off his line to make a good 1-on-1 save. Boatmen's first shot in anger came from Brad Targett, who connected well with a shot through a crowd of players, but it was straight at the keeper.
Dan Mason met a Mathias Tepe cross with a curling header that the keeper saved. Tyla Dickinson in the Swan's goal then made an impressive save from a Charlie Davis 20 yard freekick. Charlie beat the wall with a low effort with the wind behind him that skidded off the surface, but Dickinson judged it well to palm the ball round the post.
The visitors took the lead on 33 mins when a freekick between the penalty area and corner flag was pulled back to the edge of the box where Flaherty's first time shot looked to be a routine stop for Gos until it took a big deflection off TRAE COOK stood in front of him.
Boatmen upped our game and Walton had their keeper to thank for 3 good saves in quick succession. Alex MacAllister's near post header was first saved. From the corner, George Milner-Smith's looping header was tipped over the bar and from that corner, Charlie Davis' inswinger caught on a gust of wind and was clawed out of his goal by Dickinson. HT 0-1
Lee Wort & Marv McLean came on for the second half. Brad Targett was offering the most threat for us and his runs and crosses down the right seemed our best chance for an equaliser. A cross from Brad on 58 mins flashed across the 6 yard box, somehow missing everyone.
Ryan Gosney kept us in the game with a diving save down by his post. Our best chance of scoring came when the ball fell to Lee Wort 10 yards out with his back to goal. Dan Mason was probably the better option for taking the shot, but Worty spun and didn't connect cleanly with a left foot effort that the defender blocked away.
The Swans were awarded a penalty on 78 mins, with George Milner-Smith being given a second yellow card. Eddie Simon crashed the spot kick against the crossbar and it was cleared.
Sholing opted for a more controlled build-up as the clock ticked down than going direct, but we didn't work the keeper in the final 10 minutes and the visitors defended strongly and took home the points. FT 0-1
Next Game : Hanwell Town v Sholing - Saturday 10 Feb 3pm - Southern League