SHOLING’S historic FA Youth Cup adventure reached the end of the road tonight.
The Boatmen’s under-18s, through to the second round for the first time ever, bowed out 5-0 at Leyton Orient.
Sholing were still well in the tie at half-time, trailing to a 37th-minute Charles Clayden strike.
The Os’ Sam Dalby made it double trouble just after the hour and, in the wake of that goal, Sholing’s James Johnson saw red following an altercation with striker Ruel Sotiriou, who was booked along with two of his Orient teammates.
Boatmen’s goalkeeper Aaron Whitmarsh did his best to ward off further damage with some fine saves and Jean Luc-Ramdin fired a decent chance wide for ten-man Sholing after picking up a loose ball outside the box.
But Sotoriou made it 3-0 with a superbly-taken solo effort, leaving a late Jaedon Phillips brace to wrap things up.
Orient – coached by former Salisbury City defender Danny Webb – now prepare to visit West Bromwich Albion in round three.
Sholing’s youngsters, meanwhile, can reflect on a magnificent cup run that took them past Wimborne Town, Team Solent, Aldershot Town and Clevedon Town en route to Brisbane Road.
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