TEAM Solent went into today’s FA Vase third round draw for the first time on the back of a 3-1 ‘banana skin’ win at Shaftesbury – a result achieved without a recognised goalkeeper and having to play the last half-hour with only ten men.

A first half brace by the hugely influential Jesse Waller-Lassen, who set up the tie clinching third goal for Tyrell Mitford, won it for Solent, writes MIKE VIMPANY.

But the Southampton student team emerged victorious for a remarkable16th time in 17 league and cup games,with coach James Taylor force to play in goal and for the last 30 minutes minus defender Adeboye Olumuyiwa, who was given his marching orders after a second bookable offence.

Taylor’s plans were thrown into chaos when regular keeper, Gilbraltar youth international Bradley Banda, reported sick and didn’t travel.

With Solent having no other goalkeeper on their books, it left Taylor with no alternative but to don the keeper’s jersey himself!

Predictably, having driven the team minibus across windy lanes to the Dorset town renowned for the acclaimed 1973 Hovis ‘bike’ bread advert, Taylor rose to the occasion, with several notable saves.

Taylor admitted it wasn’t the first time this season he’d had to play in goal.

“It’s happened three or four times now and it’s something I’d rather not be doing to be honest,” he smiled.

But Taylor’s goalkeeping – he made one fantastic save to keep Solent ahead at 2-1 – shouldn’t deflect from the overall performance of third year Applied Sports Science student Waller-Lassen, who look a cut above the rest on the park : as he does most weeks.

“He has a huge influence going forward and takes so much pressure off the other lads with his runs.

“You’ve always got a chance of scoring when he’s on the pitch,” Taylor said.

He eased Taylor’s initial concerns by giving Solent an early lead and when he doubled it with a superb individual effort midway through the half, the students were able to take a cushion into the break. Shaftesbury had their chances, though – but missed them.

Dan Finnigan shot just too high and a relieved Taylor saw George Butler clear a shot off the line before making one save with his outstretched leg and another to deny Finnigan.

Five minutes into the second half Shaftesbury were back in the game courtesy of top scorer Mark Ford, who beat Taylor from the penalty spot after the Team Solent coachcum- goalkeeper upended him.

Taylor saw yellow. It could so easily have been red from a trigger-card referee, who finished up with eight names in his book. It was never that sort of game.

Nonetheless, it put Shaftesbury – who had already beaten Fareham Town, Newport and won 5-4 away at Baffins Milton Rovers a week earlier – right back in the game.

Taylor produced one astonishing save (one which an established goalkeeper would have been proud of) as Team Solent kept their 2-1 lead intact.

But as the promotion chasing Sydenhams League Division One side pushed forward, they were vulnerable to Solent’s quick breaks.

Cue a second fine goalkeeping performance of the day from 18-year old Shaftesbury schoolboy Daniel Card, recently released from AFC Bournemouth after spending four years in the junior ranks at Dean Court.

The teenager, who is contemplating a university placement at either Bournemouth or Southampton Solent after finishing his sixth form BTec studies, produced a hatful of superb saves as TS tried to kill the game off.

He tipped over one shot from Mitford and twice denied Waller-Lassen with breath-taking stops before (soon after Olumuyiwa had departed) Mitford sent a glancing header past him to clinch Solent’s victory.

How ironic it would be if Card ends up as Team Solent’s goalkeeper next season!

James Taylor would be quite relieved…