WINTER has yet to kick in, but Sholing’s deadly duo of Dan Mason and Lee Wort have already scored a staggering 33 goals between them.

The prolific pair were on target once again on Saturday, bagging a goal apiece as the Sydenhams Premier pacemakers marched on with a 2-0 home win over Shaftesbury.

Played in wretched conditions, it was not a game that will live long in the memory, but it will take more than gusty wind and swirling rain to dampen Mason and Wort’s goal quest.

The warning signs were there for Shaftesbury as early as the sixth minute when Jack Hoole fired a left-wing cross towards Dan Mason.

A defender got there first, diverting it onto the underside of the crossbar.

A minute later Wort left two defenders grounded as he came away with the ball, but his shot was scrambled away from inside the six-yard box.

Mason then narrowly cleared the bar with a header before Shaftesbury’s best raid of the first half saw Jack Mitchell sidefoot wide.

With the wind at their backs, Sholing upped the tempo after the break and took just five minutes to find the breakthrough.

Mason headed Jack Smith’s leftwing delivery against the crossbar and the ball fell for Wort to smash in his 14th of the season from eight yards.

Wort was denied another by keeper John Hill who also saved with his legs from Hoole. Mason hit the woodwork for a second time on 72 minutes before finally scoring in the second minute of stoppage time.

Collecting the ball on the right of the area, he made half a yard on his marker and drilled low into the far corner for his 19th of the campaign.

It ensured Sholing’s 100 per cent league record remained intact on an afternoon when they handed a debut start to former Eastleigh academy player Ryan Mackney.

The Boatmen tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) host QK Southampton in the Southampton Senior Cup.

Horndean held onto second spot, three points behind Sholing, with a powerful second-half performance at Fareham Town.

Trailing to a Gary Austin goal, the Deans bossed proceedings after the break with Conor Duffin and Harry Jackson each netting twice in a 4-1 win.

Fareham undermined their cause by having Lamin Jatta red-carded.

Town boss Pete Stiles lamented that loss of discipline, stating: “Up until our player was sent off, I thought we matched them.”

Horndean are a point ahead of third-placed AFC Portchester who also came back from behind to triumph 2-1 on the 3G pitch at Hamworthy United.

Jack Breed pulled the Royals back on terms after Nathan Walker had notched for the Hammers, and sub Dale Mason hit the winner with 15 minutes to go.

Brockenhurst fell to a last-gasp 1-0 home defeat by Baffins Milton Rovers.

The game was petering out for a goalless draw when Baffins’ Jason Parrish was fouled in the area and Ashton Leigh stepped up to the spot to secure the points.

Jez Conway bagged the sole goal as Cowes Sports pipped Christchurch 1-0 at Westwood Park. Conway beat Max Frampton at the second time of asking from Gareth Bricknell’s free kick.

Both teams wound up with ten men – Priory’s Ben Walker and Cowes’ Jimmy Wykes making early exits.

Andover New Street celebrated their first league win of the season at the 2-0 expense of Hamble Club.

Shane Lock and Callum Sweeney were the toast of Foxcotte Park.

Young Winchester City centre-back Dylan Manufor has dual-signed for Bashley.

The 19-year-old recently moved down to Hampshire from the Luton area where he was previously on the books of Stevenage and Boreham Wood.

Manufor was named on the bench as Bash returned to winning ways with a 2-1 Sydenhams Premier success at Team Solent.

Hugh Dathan made his first full start for well over a season, replacing the injured Lewis Aimson, while Cherries youngster Nathan Clements replaced the convalescing Dan Munday.

Bash led when Cameron Beard found Harrison White who paused 40 yards from goal and sent a high chip sailing over keeper Ben Morella.

With Tony Rolls limping off with a hamstring problem, Manufor was pressed into action.

Bashley struck again when Brad Strickland swung a corner away from Morella and Sam Jackson cracked home at the far post. Solent - now bottom - replied through Yasir Haji.

Alresford Town have strengthened central defence by signing Matt Scott from Thatcham.

“We felt we needed a big, dominant centre half – and that’s certainly what we’ve got,” smiled manager Richard Luffman.

The boss described Scott as “immense” in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Lymington Town – Lymo’s first defeat of the Sydenhams Premier season.

Goals by Geoff Dunn and Liam Hibberd either side of the break polished off a good week’s work for Alresford, who had thrashed Cowes Sports 6-1 in the Hampshire FA Senior Cup through Sam Burt (3), Louis Russell, Ben White and IK Hill.

Sub Ali Zintany’s 87th-minute goal salvaged Bournemouth Poppies a 1-1 draw at Bemerton (George Plank), while Portland (Darren Watts) drew 1-1 with Tadley Calleva (Paul Coventry).