Dan, Barry and Byron Mason netted as Sholing drew 3-3 with Shortwood United this afternoon

The Boatmen welcomed back the muscle of Pete Castle into central defence alongside the towering Dan Miller, but neither possessed the physical presence of Shortwood's man mountain striker Lewis Sommers.

But it was the other visiting forward Ross Langworthy who had the first clear chance after four minutes - his free header from Marley Thomas's right-wing cross comfortably dealt with by experienced keeper Lee Webber.

Sholing seized the lead little more than a minute later after Nick Watts' cross had been turned away for a corner.

Kev Brewster delivered from the right and, after keeper Tom King had turned the ball onto the crossbar from TJ Cuthbertson's header, Dan MASON was there to force it home.

ABOVE: Dan Mason heads Sholing ahead 1-0.

Shortwood responded with a first-time shot from distance by Nick Hancock that Webber got well behind and then Jack Smith and Castle jointly blocked Langworthy's attempted pile-driver after the livewire Thomas had caused problems on the right.

Sholing then had a handball appeal turned down against Hancock, but there was no way referee Alex Fisher could deny them a penalty a couple of minutes later.

Watts back-heeled the ball into the path of Dan Mason and, as Shortwood skipper Matt Bennett tussled in vain for possession, he went to ground and literally smothered the ball with his body, including hands, leaving the Portsmouth official no option but to point to the spot.

Barry MASON did the honours, drilling home an expertly taken penalty for his third goal in four games.

Webber stuck out a boot to deny Langworthy at his near post as the Gloucestershire visitors countered but, with Byron Mason, Castle and Alex Sawyer back in the line-up, this was more like the Sholing of old.

ABOVE: Barry Mason shoots at goal

And the third of the Mason brothers, skipper Bryon, should have joined his siblings on the score-sheet on 33 minutes when Watts sent him powering away down the left, but his angled shot on the run went over.

Hancock and Jake Parrott dipped efforts narrowly over for Shortwood before Barry Mason flung himself across to make a fabulous block as Adam Price got a clear site of Webber's bottom right-hand corner.

The eldest Mason went close to scoring again on the brink of half-time, heading Brewster's delivery narrowly wide of the far post.

Shortwood fired two warning shots across the Sholing bows at the start of the second-half with both Parrott's free-kick and a shot by the nippy Thomas going just wide of Webber's left upright.

The introduction of substitute Joe White up front for Shortwood transformed the visitors and their lively movement undid shell-shocked Sholing twice in as many minutes.

ABOVE: Barry Mason slots home his penalty.

First Adam PRICE tucked the ball away following a succession of quick passes inside the area and then Thomas crossed for sub WHITE to slam the ball into the roof of the net.

From being comfortably in control, Sholing were up against it and had a narrow escape when White sent another decent chance over.

The Boatmen composed themselves again during an injury stoppage for Miller and, with 63 minutes gone, Castle exited and sub Jess Walklin entered the fray.

Shortwood soon picked-up the pace again, however, and, after causing problems with a header, it was the giant figure of Sommers who gave them a 71st minute lead.

Considering his size, the big man did remarkably well to hold off his marker and turn onto a delivery from the left before firing low past Webber to make it 3-2 to the visitors.

Sholing responded by making another substitution, welcoming back FA Vase-winning winger Marvin McLean from long-term injury in place of Barry Mason.

It looked like curtains for the home side when United sub Josh Klein-Davis was put in on goal by Thomas, but he was denied by Webber's solid save.

ABOVE: Nick Watts in action against Shortwood this afternoon

The Boatmen took full advantage by digging out a dramatic 85th minute equaliser.As Brewster's free-kick came in from the right, it skimmed narrowly over Miller's head and bounced into the path of BYRON MASON - just announced as Sholing's man of the match - who nipped in behind to nod his side back on terms.

At that stage it could have gone either way and both teams had chances in stoppage time.

Klein-Davis curled an effort just wide for Shortwood before Miller's far-post header from another Brewster free-kick flew right across the face of goal.