MARVIN McLEAN marked his 550th Sholing appearance last night with a 1-0 Sydenhams Premier Division win over Amesbury Town.

But not everything went to plan for the long-serving winger on a frustrating evening at the Universal Stadium.

Made captain for the night in place of rested skipper Byron Mason, McLean picked up a yellow card for dissent as Sholing were unable to find a first-half breakthrough against the massed ranks of Town defenders.

They had been awarded a penalty when Zac Mouland was sent tumbling by Tom Wheeler on the half-hour mark, but the normally deadly Dan Mason – scorer of 36 goals this term – had his spot-kick palmed away by keeper Paddy Creese.

On 68 minutes McLean’s milestone appearance was prematurely terminated when he was on the end of a heavy challenge and replaced by Byron Mason.

Three minutes later Wheeler saw red for Amesbury, picking up a second yellow card to add to the one collected for his part in the penalty incident.

With Creese defiantly saving shot after shot, it looked as if the visitors would hang on for a point.

But there was relief all round for the Boatmen as they finally broke the ten men’s spirited resistance with an 89th-minute winner – TJ Cuthbert’s low cross finding Owen Roundell who swept the ball home at the far post.

The win moves Sholing up to second in the table, nine points behind leaders Moneyfields who may yet be docked points if found guilty of fielding an ineligible player.

Fareham Town stretched their unbeaten run to seven games under new boss Pete Stiles with a 1-0 win at Bashley.

Kabba Jack shaved the upright for the New Forest hosts in the first half, but it was Fareham's Jay Ripiner who found the net in the 70th minute after Bash had failed to deal with a loose ball in the area.

The win lifted Fareham to 14th, two points ahead of Bashley who, after a bright start to the season, have faded to 17th.

Brockenhurst suffered their sixth straight league defeat 3-1 at Horndean, succumbing to a late first-half opener by Mark Smith and two Jack Maloney penalties. Sub Mark Barker netted the Badgers’ reply.

Verwood Town remain firmly nailed to the foot of the table, beaten 3-0 at fourth-placed Portland United. Darren Watts (2) and Ed Bastick ruined the Potters’ night.

League leaders Moneyfields waved goodbye to a place in the Russell Cotes Cup final, beaten 3-1 at home by Bemerton Heath. The Harlequins will face either AFC Portchester or Gosport Borough in the final.

Gosport’s National League South troubles deepened with a 2-0 defeat at relegation rivals Truro City last night.

Tyler Harvey put Truro ahead with a tenth-minute penalty conceded by Borough’s debut-making goalkeeper Jon Miles, signed on loan from Ebbsfleet United. Harvey struck again midway through the second half.

A mixed Salisbury side progressed to the Salisbury Hospital Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Andover New Street, courtesy of Nathan Connelly, Chris Papakinstantinou and Claudio Herbert.

The Whites had second-choice goalkeeper Nathan Ball to thank for a penalty save with the scoreline still goalless and found themselves with a numerical advantage when ANS’s Jazz Beavis was sent off early in the second half.

Salisbury will host Amesbury Town on Tuesday, April 11 (7.45pm).