AMESBURY lost a tough encounter with fancied Sholing at home, as the away side won 3-1 with Dan Mason scoring a hat-trick.

On ten minutes the visitors took the lead when a long kick forward came to the strong Dan Mason, who fought off a challenge by Danny Field and slotted past Paddy Creese.

Sholing continued to create chances but Amesbury held firm and Barry Mason had a shot blocked by Craig Wheeler.

The home side’s first chance was on 26 minutes, when Luke Greenway set up Kieran Stephens, who fired low but was blocked. The resulting corner was headed down by Dan Beckles but he couldn’t get the power on it to beat Ryan Gosney in the Sholing goal.

With 29 minutes gone, Sholing had a good chance when Bradley Norton shot from inside the area. Creese clawed out the ball, only for Barry Mason to fire back in, but George Higgins managed to clear the ball off the line.

Amesbury then went on the counter attack. Cameron Roach crossed to Luke Greenway in front of the goal and he fired home the equaliser.

The Blues nearly took the lead on 36 minutes when good work on the left by Stephens, and a good cross into the box, was met by the head of Jordan Matthews, but the ball was flicked wide.

Sholing took the lead just three minutes into the second half when the ball came to Dan Mason on the edge of the box and he showed his strength to turn and shoot into the net.

For the next 25 minutes Amesbury held strong. On 73 minutes Sholing had a clear cut chance, when a corner saw two efforts cleared off the line by the Amesbury defenders. Amesbury were still hopeful of stealing a point when Danny Field, combined with Ben Cook who set up Matthews, managed to squeeze in a shot which was saved.

A minute from time, Cameron George ran in from the right and fired from a tight angle which Gosney got a good hand to, denying Amesbury an equaliser.

But it was Sholing who sealed victory when, in the fifth minute of added time, Dan Mason completed his hat trick and secured the win.