ALEX Baldacchino brought up another Sholing milestone last night as the FA Vase finalists closed the gap on Wessex League leaders Alresford Town.

The striker’s goals helped Blackfield & Langley to last season’s Wessex Premier title.

And he could be set for a repeat performance after scoring the first goal for the Boatmen in last night’s 2-0 win at Newport on the Island.

Baldacchino’s opener was Sholing’s 100th Wessex goal of the season in only their 32nd match.

Barry Mason grabbed a second as Sholing sliced Alresford’s lead to four points – and they still have FIVE games in hand.

It was Sholing’s second league game in three days after Tuesday’s shock 2-0 defeat at Brockenhurst had kept them on 99 league goals.

But they haven’t been as busy this week as Wembley opponents West Auckland.

The north easterners have played three Northern League games in as many days, picking up two wins and a loss, as they struggle with their own fixture pile-up.

West won 5-4 at Crook on Monday night, where the hosts had two men sent off, before losing 3-2 at Morpeth on Tuesday.

West were in action again on Wednesday, beating Newton Aycliffe 3-0.

As part of a mammoth 13 league games in April – a quarter of their entire seasonal programme – West face three more games in three days towards the end of this month!

Sholing are back in action again tomorrow, at mid-table Lymington Town.