Battling Khalsa earn salute from proud boss Ian Rowe
Sporting Khalsa boss Ian Rowe was left reflecting on what might have been after seeing his side’s Wembley dream come to an end – again.
Khalsa, who were reinstated following the expulsion of Godmanchester Rovers, went down 3-1 to Sholing in the last 16 of the FA Vase on Saturday.
The trip to Southampton was always going to be a testing one for Rowe’s men with Sholing sitting 14 points clear at the top of Wessex League Premier Division having dropped just two points all season.
A 15-minute spell in the first half that saw the hosts score three times proved the difference with Khalsa getting on the scoresheet 10 minutes from time through Alex Perry. Despite the defeat Rowe was proud of his side’s efforts on a day when he felt Lady Luck turned her back on the visitors.
“I am never happy in defeat, but I was proud of the lads on Saturday,” said Rowe. “They could have folded, but they didn’t.
“Sholing are a good side, but it was just a 15-minute spell that proved the difference. They were clinical and scored three times in that spell. Apart from that, I though we controlled the game.
“I don’t think we enjoyed the best of luck with the goals. One of the goals, their lad has attempted an overhead kick but missed the ball and took out one of our defenders. The ball has fell for them and they have finished it well, but it could have been a free-kick.
“And I felt there was a foul of my left-back in the build up to their third.
“They are used to winning and favourites for the competition, but I didn’t think there was that much between the sides.
“We had a couple of chances before they scored but didn’t take them. To be fair to them they were clinical in front of goal.
“I know they sat back a bit in the second half, but we controlled the game and I was proud of the players.
“A lot of teams could have folded after conceding three in a short space of time but we didn’t.
“We knew we had a mountain to climb at half-time but I asked them to go out and win the second half and they did that.
“I was pleased with their application and the determination they showed. We were just left wondering what might have been.”
There was some good news for Khalsa on the league front with Midland League promotion rivals Ilkeston and Shepshed both losing.
