STUART Hussey had only positive feedback to pass on to absent manager Dave Diaper following Sholing’s 0-0 draw at fifth-placed Larkhall.

With Diaper kept away by work commitments, assistant boss Hussey took the reins for the final game of a difficult Southern One South & West campaign.

The Boatmen travelled to Bath knowing they could finish no higher than 17th and could have just gone through the motions.

But despite having key players missing yet again, they gave as good as they got against their play-off-bound hosts, setting them up nicely for the Hampshire FA Senior Cup final against Gosport Borough at Fratton Park tomorrow week.

“It could easily have been a non-event with Larkhall having one eye on the play-offs, but it wasn’t,” said Hussey.

“We’ve got our eyes on the cup final and I was pleased the lads took it seriously.

“We played some good passing football and it was disappointing that we didn’t get all three points.

“Dan Mason hit the post with a header after about 20 minutes and we’ve had a couple of good shots from Barry Mason and Kev Brewster.

Frustrated at not being able to breach the Sholing defence, Larkhall threw on rested top scorers Tyler Sibbick and Joe Tumelty during the second half.

But the Boatmen remained solid, even though defensive rock Pete Castle had been taken off as a precaution with the cup final in mind.

“It was such hard ground that I wanted to protect Pete’s knee on a difficult surface,” Hussey explained.

“I also took off (wideman) Tobi Adekunle with a slight hamstring strain, so I don’t know how he’ll be for the final.”

On-loan Gosport forward Lewis Blackmore and 17-year-old defender Owen Roundell came off the bench and still Sholing competed well.

“It would have been easy for the lads to have taken their foot off the pedal, but it was a positive display and everyone did well,” summed up Hussey.

“Sam Olaofe was on the bench, but he’s still feeling his hamstring and didn’t come on, and both Alex Sawyer and Nick Watts were away.

“(Skipper) Byron Mason came with us, but we didn’t include him because he’d only got back from holiday in the early hours, but he’ll be in the fold for the final.”