'Magnificent' Gosport Borough season's best kicks off new year on a high note with Salisbury demolition job - plus news of a Boro player departure following Dulwich Hamlet loan arrival

Manager Shaun Gale was beaming with pride as Gosport Borough produced a season's best showing to hand Southern League Premier South rivals Salisbury a New Year's Day hammering.
Striker Dan Wooden, centre, celebrates after grabbing one of his three goals in Gosport's thumping Salisbury win. Picture: Tom PhillipsStriker Dan Wooden, centre, celebrates after grabbing one of his three goals in Gosport's thumping Salisbury win. Picture: Tom Phillips
Striker Dan Wooden, centre, celebrates after grabbing one of his three goals in Gosport's thumping Salisbury win. Picture: Tom Phillips

Forward Dan Wooden led the way with a 40-minute treble while debutant Dulwich Hamlet loan acquisition AJ Harris-Sealy struck and Matt Paterson rounded off the scoring as Boro thumped Steve Claridge's 10-man side 5-0 in Wiltshire.

Gosport boss Gale, whose side claimed a first league victory in five attempts with the Salisbury rout, says he could not have wished for a better start to 2022.

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And the Boro manager felt his men could have won by an even more convincing margin had it not been for numerous saves from former Gosport stopper Pat O'Flaherty in the home side's goal.

There were plenty of reasons for Gosport Borough to celebrate at Salisbury on New Year's Day. Picture: Tom PhillipsThere were plenty of reasons for Gosport Borough to celebrate at Salisbury on New Year's Day. Picture: Tom Phillips
There were plenty of reasons for Gosport Borough to celebrate at Salisbury on New Year's Day. Picture: Tom Phillips

Gale beamed: ‘The lads were absolutely magnificent, played well and destroyed them, we really put them to the sword in front of their own fans. For me, it was all about getting three points, but it was always a nice way to start the new year.

‘That’s probably one of the best performances of the season, there have been some really good performances, but that was a complete team performance. To do it in someone else’s back yards is always nice, local rivals, every single man did their job and we were fantastic from start to finish.’

Gosport came racing out of the traps with Wooden netting after nine and 31 minutes to hand the visitors a 2-0 half-time advantage.

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That did not provide a true reflection of the numerous chances Boro had spurned in the opening 45 minutes, though.

Wooden would then complete his hat-trick four minutes after the restart, finding the net from Mason Walsh's cutback.

Then it was the turn of debutant substitute Harris-Sealy, signed on loan from National League South Dulwich Hamlet in time for the Salisbury trip, to add a fourth with a little under 15 minutes left to play - which came minutes after the hosts had Chikanele Elechi dismissed after picking up a second yellow card.

Frontman Paterson then rounded off the scoring on 88 minutes to make it a five-star start to 2022 for Boro.

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Gale explained how the arrival of loan signing Harris-Sealy came with former Hawks midfielder Bedsente Gomis leaving Privett Park after a short stint on the south coast.

He added: ‘I managed to get that done and across the line on Friday (AJ Harris-Sealy signing). He came on and did great but our two wide players yesterday were phenomenal - Mason Walsh and Billie Busari were unplayable.

‘I thought it was an ideal opportunity, I'm going to get a couple out, and replace them with him (Harris-Sealy).

‘I've let Bedesnte Gomis go. I thank him for all his efforts but I just felt we needed to freshen and make a couple of changes so we've done that.’

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