HE was the darling of the Sholing faithful at Wembley last May when he netted the winner in the FA Vase final.

But on Saturday winger Marvin McLean experienced the flip side of the footballing coin as his costly miss proved the turning point of a rollercoaster 5-3 defeat at home to Swindon Supermarine in the Evo- Stik Southern One South & West.

Having climbed in front via an own goal, Sholing plunged 2-1 into arrears before soaring back up to 3-2 with 63 minutes gone.

Had McLean seized the next opportunity that came the Boatmen’s way, they could have been coasting to victory.

Instead Sholing got swept away on a hair-raising white-knuckle ride as Swindon hit back with three goals in nine frantic minutes at the Silverlake Arena.

The game hinged on the events of the 67th minute when fit-again skipper Byron Mason played in Tobi Adekunle on the left of the area.

The muscular winger had already created two Sholing goals and looked nailed on for a hat-trick of assists when another killer delivery found McLean lurking unmarked at the back stick.

But the Wembley hero got his execution all wrong, somehow lashing the ball over from six yards.

“That chance of Marvin’s changed the game,” admitted manager Dave Diaper.

“We were well on top and, had it gone to 4-2, I don’t think Swindon would have come back.

“Goals change games, but so do missed chances and that one’s killed us.

“Marv’s only recently come back from a bad injury, but you’d expect him to hit the target from that distance.”

It was McLean’s menacing presence that had forced a 17th-minute own goal from Marine defender Cameron Pirie as he tried to stop the wide¬ man seizing on Adekule’s dangerous left-wing cross.

But Sholing’s lead lasted only five minutes as young full-back Liam Golding got sucked into a challenge by Swindon Town loanee Walden at the expense of a penalty which Chris Taylor eventually forced home after ’keeper Matt Brown had parried his initial strike.

“That’s the 12th penalty that’s been awarded against us this season,” said Diaper. “It was down to a bit of naivety from Liam. Browner’s made a good save, but we’ve got to be alive to the follow- up.”

It got worse for Sholing on the half-hour when Luke Hopper drove Swindon in front from Walden’s assist, but a sublime, curved finish by Dan Mason levelled matters three minutes later after the visitors had failed to deal with Alex Sawyer’s cross.

With an icy wind and hailstones suddenly whipping into their faces, Sholing were blinded by a mini blizzard before the break .

Once calm had descended, they reclaimed the lead on 63 minutes – Boatmen’s man-of-the-match Sawyer taking one touch to bring down Adekunle’s cross before slamming it home with the second.

McLean’s wasted chance and a decent opening for Adekunle followed before Swindon – boosted by subs Aaron Ferris and Ryan Stanners – took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Walden equalised with a long- range missile from the left which cruised past Brown into the far top corner and sub Stanners had the final say with two proficient finishes in the 77th and 82nd minutes.

The result left Sholing static in 17th place – a position they have held since November 22.

“We were 17th when I came back in as manager – and we’re still there,” said Diaper. “We really should have won today and it hurts that we didn’t, but I’m trying to manage the squad as best I can.

“We had four on the bench today who would probably have started if we didn’t have the Russell Cotes Cup quarter-final against Horndean on Wednesday (home, 7.45pm).

“We’re also in the Hampshire Senior Cup semi and, if I’m honest, these games take priority as they give us an opportunity of some silverware.

“It hurts to be down where we are in the league.

“The easy way out would be to drop down (into the Wessex League) and finish third or fourth, but this is where we earn our crust and this is where I want us to stay.”

Sholing: Matt Brown, TJ Cuthbertson, Liam Golding, Mike Byrne, Dan Miller, Jack Smith, Marvin McLean, Alex Sawyer, Dan Mason, Byron Mason, Tobi Adekunle (Nick Watts, 76). Subs (not used): Barry Mason, Pete Castle, Declan McCarthy, Rory Anderson.

Referee: Andrew Dine. Attendance: 147