IT’S been a long time coming, but Sholing have finally got their second away win of a testing Southern One South & West season.

Not since October’s 3-2 result at Wantage had the Boatmen been triumphant on the road.

But thanks to a first-half own goal from Clevedon Town’s Kye Thomas, that long wait was finally ended on Saturday as Sholing followed up last week’s home victory over Cinderford Town with a 1-0 success in north Somerset.

Barry Mason, scorer of the winner at Wantage, was again involved in the Hand Stadium decider.

With 37 minutes gone, the club’s 30-year-old talisman found space on the right of the area and his firm cross was diverted in by the panicked Clevedon defender with Marvin McLean prowling close by.

Both McLean and Sholing’s man-of-the-match Alex Sawyer had the ball in the net after the break but, on both occasions, the flag went up for offside.

Barry Mason had an effort bundled off the line and, from the subsequent corner, Mike Byrne headed inches wide.

With Dan Miller winning everything in the air, Sholing’s defence was rarely troubled for much of the second half while, up top, Dan Mason showed good strength to hold the ball up and skilfully create an opening, only to drag his shot wide.

Clevedon mounted a late rally, but Boatmen’s ’keeper Matt Brown did well on his return from a broken finger, flicking Conor O’Sullivan’s looped shot onto the post before seeing Jamie Adams’ left-foot strike skim the woodwork.

Despite those late scares, assistant boss Stuart Hussey, taking charge while Dave Diaper celebrated is 40th wedding anniversary, felt Sholing were well worth the win.

“We started brightly and there could have been no complaints had we scored five or six. We missed numerous opportunities and it was disappointing not to go in three or four up at half-time,” he said.

“The winning goal came from good interplay between Nick Watts and Dan Mason which put Barry through on the right. In trying to intercept Barry’s pin-point cross, their player’s made a last-ditch stretch to stop it and put it into his own net.

If he hadn’t, Marvin was there for a five-yard tap-in.

“Alex Sawyer was outstanding and typified our workrate against a Clevedon side who had won 1-0 at Yate on Tuesday.

“It was a really encouraging performance and when I texted Dave (Diaper) he was over the moon.”

Sholing, still 17th, welcome local Wessex rivals Folland Sports to the Silverlake Arena tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) in the Russell Cotes Cup. Admission is £5 adults, £3 concessions, £1 under-16s and free for under-12s.