Sholing ’s Tyronne Bowers has turned down advances from Blackfield & Langley and is ready to face his old club Eastleigh in tonight’s friendly at the Silverlake Arena (7.45pm).

Although Blackfield succeeded in signing Boatmen’s skipper Kevin Gibbens, who has opted for less travelling in the Sydenhams League, they were unable to prise experienced midfielder Bowers away from Portsmouth Road.

“(Blackfield boss) Ashley Vickers rang me out of courtesy last week to say he would be talking to him which was no problem to me because Tyzer’s a free agent,” said Sholing boss Dave Diaper.

“I texted Tyzer, giving him the reasons I thought he should stay, and he said he was staying loyal to Sholing, which is good news for us.

“Tyzer’s still got a lot to offer and he wants to see out his last couple of seasons here.”

More good news for Sholing is that left-back Marc Diaper had a 15- minute runout in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Havant & Waterlooville.

The manager’s son had been due to retire due to work commitments but, although he will struggle to make midweek games, he has managed to free up weekends.

Sholing were without six senior players at Havant. Five of them – Bowers, Dave Marden, Byron Mason, Kevin Brewster and ex-Eastleigh favourite Lee Bright – should be back tonight, but there are doubts over livewire winger Marvin McLean who damaged an ankle against Saints under-21s. Barry Mason and Liam Robinson – both ex-Spitfires – are also nursing knocks.

Diaper could well take another look at forward Dominic Burbridge, who is trialling with the Boatmen from Sydenhams One outfit Cowes Sports. “He’s a small lad but very skilful,” said the Sholing boss.

Potential Winchester City signing James Taylor misses tonight’s (7.45pm) home friendly against his old club Bashley due to a family holiday, but club owner Paul McCarthy remains confident that the veteran targetman will sign.

Coach/assistant Mick Jenkins, who recently joined the newly-promoted Southern South & West outfit, was disappointed with two of the goals conceded in Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat by AFC Bournemouth but said: “We won’t come across teams like that in our league. Bournemouth’s ball retention was excellent.

“Bashley tonight will be more of a leveller. Until now we’ve played mainly League and Conference South clubs. The only friendly we’ve played against a club at our level was Worthing and we performed very well in that.” 

Salisbury City – away to Poole Town tonight – have signed goalkeeper Mark Scott from Swindon Town. Scott played 16 games on loan with the Whites last term, keeping eight clean sheets.

Poole beat an AFC Bournemouth XI 2-1 on Friday with goals from Luke Burbidge and Alex Baldacchino, while Salisbury edged a young Reading side 1-0 through Dan Fitchett.