HOLDERS Sholing have given themselves a massive confidence boost heading into tomorrow's Southampton Senior Cup semi-final against Blackfield & Langley at Follands Park (Tuesday, 7.30pm).

The Boatmen defied bitterly cold conditions to reel off their seventh straight win at Lymington Town on Saturday, triumphing 3-1 in the Sydenhams Premier Division.

Sholing were without TJ Cuthbertson, Marv McLean and Kev Brewster, while skipper Byron Mason was an unused sub.

Jamie Bulpitt returned from injury to take his place in the starting line-up while, on the bench, they featured a new signing, Jean Pierre Alexander, who is dualsigned from Ebbsfleet United while studying in Southampton.

Sholing seized the lead on 20 minutes when Alex Sawyer’s drilled corner was headed in at the far post by big defender Dan Miller – his fifth goal of the season.

Lymington were desperately unlucky not to level when a chipped effort by ex-Boatmen’s striker Ashley Jarvis bounced off the crossbar before being cleared.

Having ridden their luck, the visitors struck again on the halfhour when Lee Wort was brought down for a penalty.

Sholing had missed four times from the spot this season, so a new face stepped up to take it.

And it was mission accomplished for Owen Roundell ,who expertly buried it despite the ball moving just as he hit it.

Pete Castle, who was captaining the side, had a downward header from a corner kicked off the line by Lymington as half-time approached with Sholing now in control.

They came back out looking to kill the game off early in the second half and did just that when Sawyer broke into the right side of the area before deftly lifting his shot over goalkeeper Ross Casey and into the far corner.

Dan Mason’s dipping effort from 20 yards grazed the outside of the upright as the Boatmen kept up the pressure and then Wort rounded Casey and his shot from a narrow angle was cleared off the line.

Lymo grabbed one back on 75 minutes followed a rare lapse by goalkeeper Ryan Gosney. Sholing’s No1 let the ball slip from his grasp and Sam House raced in to prod it over the line.

Tomorrow's opponents Blackfield were among the casualties of the weather on Saturday as their scheduled game at rock-bottom Petersfield Town was postponed.

The icy blast also put paid to matches at Baffins Milton Rovers, Newport IW and AFC Portchester.