○Pewsey Vale1–3Andover Town

Andover Town visit to Pewsey Vale for the first time for the best part of four years and no problems as to the game being played despite the recent weather. The home side have had a difficult time since re-joining the League this season, culminating in being unable to field a side last week, but to their credit they had a full complement of players who served the Club well on the day.

Perhaps understandably Andover made the better start and completely dominated the early stages and had an early chance when a Brendon Holmes through ball set Tom Pattison free but the shot was pulled across the face of goal. Home keeper Sam Tuttle left his line smartly to block Ruben Smith before Harvey Rutherford made ground at the other end but the cross was too close to the keeper. Andover had seen more than one shot blocked in a crowded area but found a way through after just nine minutes when Adam Pattinson found his way to the byeline and his low cross was turned past Tuttle by RUBEN SMITH. Zac Hine was a constant threat on the Andover left and Ben Emans should perhaps have done better when a cross found him unmarked but the shot was too high. Keiran McHardy in the visiting goal rather rashly raced almost to the touchline, was beaten to the ball by Harrison Lowe only for the shot, from a narrow angle, to end in the side netting. As Andover went forward again a fierce goalbound drive from Smith was inadvertently, and painfully, blocked by one of his team mates and the last action of the half, which had seen the game stuck in midfield in the later stages, saw Tuttle deal competently with a very strongly struck back pass.

Half-time Pewsey Vale 0-1 Andover Town

There was a harsh caution for Pewsey’s David Cope immediately on the re-start before Andover doubled their lead, again in the opening ten minutes. Hine was inevitably the instigator with a cross that the home side failed to clear and BRENDAN HOLMES’s shot from the edge of the area took a deflection that left the unfortunate Tuttle flat footed. Smith saw a header land on the top of the net and when persistence and skill from Emans created a chance for Hine the shot grazed the wrong side of the post. Another Hine cross caused some hesitation between goalkeeper and defenders but there was no red shirt on hand before Tuttle, as in the first half, dealt easily with another difficult back pass. Andover’s two goal lead looked enough but they added a third halfway through the half. The home defenders left the ball to each other and ETHAN O’KELLY showed some composure in slotting the ball past Tuttle. The keeper then made a very poor clearance and redeemed himself with a fine save from Emans and as, in Rugby parlance, both sides emptied their benches O’Kelly just failed to make contact with an Emans cross and each side picked up a caution. Andover had no cause for complaint over theirs. As the game rather meandered to a close the Andover defence suddenly disappeared allowing substitute Cameron McKenzie a clear run only for McHardy to narrow the angle and block the shot. By now the game had moved in to stoppage time and Andover produced a repeat defensive with McKenzie this time beating McCarthy for a deserved and hopefully morale boosting consolation goal.

Andover deserved their win, and may feel that the scoreline should have been more convincing on a pitch on which did not always favour the ball players but credit to Pewsey for their attitude and effort. They never gave up and that spirit can serve them well in the weeks to come.

An enjoyable afternoon and a warm welcome from people with whom it was nice to renew acquaintance.