SHOLING are on the march again in the Buildbase FA Vase.
The 2014 Wembley winners are one of four Sydenhams Premier clubs flying the flag into the third round proper on Saturday, December 1.
Sholing were Saturday's biggest Wessex winners, blitzing Malmesbury Victoria 5-1 at the Universal Stadium.
Near neighbours Hamble Club are also through to the last 64 after a 2-1 win at Almondsbury and are joined in the hat by Baffins Milton Rovers and Hamworthy United.
Few teams would have lived with Sholing on Saturday. Dave Diaper’s men were at it straight from the kick-off and took 13 minutes to seize the lead when Marvin McLean – their Wembley match-winner five seasons ago – cut back for goal machine Dan Mason to nod home.
Lee Wort, the other half of the Boatmen’s prolific frontline pairing, soon matched his partner’s 25 goals for the season, racing clean through and slotting past the keeper with 23 minutes gone.
Five minutes later Malmesbury’s troubles were deepened by a truly outstanding team goal. A swift sequence of passes culminated in Jamie Bulpitt flicking the ball through for TJ Cuthbertson who squared for Alex Sawyer to tap in.
On 32 minutes it was 4-0 when, from Sawyer’s corner, Pete Castle’s towering header went in off the post.
The Hellenic Division One West visitors escaped further damage before the break but, just six minutes after the restart, Sawyer claimed his second of the afternoon – his shot nicking off a defender and over the line.
Sholing had gone a staggering 747 minutes without conceding when Malmesbury bagged a late consolation through Kyle Witt.
But that could not wipe the gloss off a truly dominant display which manager Dave Diaper later described as “a bit like men against boys.”
Asked if the Boatmen could lift the Vase again, he said: “Lady Luck comes into it, but I said to the guys before the game that we’ve experienced what’s needed to win this competition. It’s all about work ethic.”
Barry Mason, another of Sholing’s 2014 Vase winners, hit the winning goal for Hamble Club at Almondsbury via a late free-kick.
John Cole was also on target for the merry Monks who, in their debut Vase season, made it all the way to the fifth round last year.
A Wessex winner was guaranteed at the Kendall Stadium for the all-Sydenhams Premier clash between Baffins and Bournemouth Poppies.
Having seen an early Ashton Leigh penalty hit the post, Baffins fell two down to a Stephen Neronski double.
But Shane Cornish had better luck from the spot just before the break and second-half goals from Callum Dart and Jason Parish saw the Portsmouth outfit through 3-2. Poppies’ Ron Frost was red-carded late on.
Former Winchester City marksman Dan Cann was the hero of Hamworthy United’s 3-1 triumph over Falmouth Town.
With five minutes to go, a goal by Falmouth’s Jordan Annear separated the sides. But, having struck late to force extra-time, Cann scored within five minutes before earning a penalty converted by Nathan Walker.
It was the end of the Vase road for the rest of the Wessex brigade with Brockenhurst soundly beaten 4-0 at home by Bradford Town, Newport IW succumbing 2-0 to visiting Cribbs and Alresford Town desperately unlucky to lose 1-0 after extra-time at Bodmin.
Horndean lost 2-0 away to a strong Chertsey Town side with Deans boss Michael Birmingham observing: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they went all the way to the final.”
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