ROUND-UP given a green card following a mistimed tackle. UWE raised their game after the 18th minute, Poh was again threatening when she played a short pass to Katie Booth who found the side netting from an acute angle. Despite the ongoing pressure Solent showed resilience in defence. On the 26th minute a shot by Poh was saved resulting in a scramble in the box though Solent remained
robust and cleared the ball. The defence held strong but in the final actions of the half Poh breached the back four and fired a shot which was thwarted by the post but Roberts followed in to finish the rebound giving UWE a half-time lead. Solent came out on the front foot in the second half pressing UWE back and consequently created a chance on 40 minutes courtesy of a run by Kathryn Todd but the move came to
Match Best In Report Sho Josh Donaldson Newport manager Steve Brougham proclaimed Sholing FC to be the “best team in the league” as his side escaped the Silverlake Arena with a 1-1 draw. The manager saw his men outclassed in the first half going into the break 1-0 down. A header from Sholing captain Byron Mason put the Boatmen into a well-deserved lead before his opposite skipper, Ian Seabrook levelled from the penalty spot. Broughman was happy to concede he was delighted to come away with a point, but praised his side’s character after a poor showing in the opening 45 minutes. “The first half, we were bombarded but we weathered the storm and funnily enough I was quite pleased to go in at 1-0 down”, the manager said, “I thought we were the better side in the second half and thoroughly deserved our draw.” With the point for each side,
Newport still sit top of the Sydenhams Wessex League, but Broughman was under no illusions that the opposition will be the ones to beat this season. He added: “I think Sholing will win the league this year. If we can do what we have done today, give them a go and be somewhere near it then I’ll be happy with that”. It may have been a good result for the away side, but home manager Dave Diaper was not happy with his team’s wastefulness in front of goal. “We’ve got to be disappointed with the amount of chances we created that we didn’t take, but that’s football at the end of the day”, he explained, “If you don’t take your chances when it’s 1-0 then there’s always a liability the other team can get back into it and that’s what’s happened today.” However Diaper remained optimistic that his injury hit side can still remain title contenders with home form being the key factor to 13
nothing. Poh continued to impress with her mazy dribbles, however she struggled to find the net and the home side looked to salvage a draw as they launched their final offensive. Good team play led to Lexi Gutschow receive the ball in the box but her shot was parried out towards Tash Starns who fired a shot towards goal however it was stopped in its tracks as the final whistle went.
Football promotion. “We haven’t been beaten here for a year and it was important we kept the unbeaten run going,” the manager said. “We’ve got five players out injured so it was important not to lose today and it’s deprived them of two points as well so it’s as we were really.” Sholing remain two points behind league leaders Newport but the Boatmen still sit in pole position as they have two games in hand over their title chasing rivals. Diaper’s men now visit another title contender Winchester City in the FA Vase Cup on Saturday. Sholing will be in confident mood as they aim to continue their unbeaten run away from home but the home side, like Newport, will provide a stern test. Winchester are in good form, having picked up four wins in five games and sit third in the league, two points behind their opponents. However their sole defeat came at the hands of Sholing, with the Boatmen comfortably dispatching them 3-0 away from home. It should be a lively encounter as both sides are capable of entertaining football, but for Sholing it is another game to prove that they really are the team to beat this season.
// EATING TURF