Andover Town3–2○New Milton Town

On a night when the temperature suggested that Autumn was now losing out to Winter, one hundred and fifteen hardy souls ignored the “attraction” of England on the television and their trip to the Portway was rewarded by a very entertaining ninety (plus) minutes of football. Visitors New Milton have made a fine start to the season, and, on the night it was easy to see why, whilst the home side are improving rapidly and came in to the game on the back of a five one win three days earlier.

Andover Town posed the first threat with David Jerrard seeing his shot saved after a run and cross from Ben Emans, but as New Milton got into their stride home keeper Karl Steinborn-Busse twice had to leave his area to aid his defence and was grateful to see a teasing cross from Chris Long missed by all in the area. A Josh Berti free kick at the other end caused a scramble in the six yard box with the ball eventually cleared off the line but it was New Milton who looked the more dangerous, especially in the shape of Tyrell Sampson who strangely was continually allowed so much space on the left flank. He had already been denied by a saving challenge in the area before setting up the first goal on the fourteen-minute mark, the first of three goals in the space of seven minutes. His pace and control took him clear and the low cross was converted by CHRIS LONG. Three minutes later Sampson again found the space to deliver an identical cross and this time TYLER RUDD steered the ball home at the far post. To their credit Andover’s reply was immediate as DAVID JERRARD rose highest in the area to head home another Berti free kick. Both sides continued to press. with the visitors perhaps the more dangerous, and Charlie Turner grazed the bar with a shot that left the unsighted goalkeeper reduced to a spectator role. But it was Andover who claimed the next goal as a Brendan Holmes shot was parried by keeper Luke Dennison and DAVID JERRARD reacted quicker than his marker to turn the loose ball over the line. All square and it remained that way until the break, largely due to Steinborn-Busse saving superbly from Sampson at close range after a free kick caused some confusion in the area.

The second half continued to be end to end with the promise of more goals and on ten minutes the deadlock was broken as the home side went ahead for the first time. Berti superbly controlled a long clearance and sent Emans away down the left, DAVID JERRARD met the cross at full stretch with his head and then, still on his knees, headed home to complete his hat trick after Dennison blocked the first effort. Andover introduced Musah Stamburi to the fray to collect a caution inside two minutes and as the visitors sought an equaliser Turner was denied by the goalkeeper’s legs and another Sampson cross found no takers in the area. Steinborn-Busse again used his legs to good effect to stop Long and when they did find the net in a goalmouth scramble the offside flag prevailed. It was all New Milton as the game edged towards its close with Sampson firstly too high and then seeing a shot blocked while a header from Elliot Lines rebounded to safety off the crossbar. Dennison’s point blank stop denied Luke Adams and another challenge by Stamburi saw a lecture from the referee and the unedifying sight of visiting players surrounding the official demanding a red card. The game went in to what seemed never ending stoppage time before the final whistle meant that Andover had come back from two goals down to take the points.

New Milton deserved a draw over the ninety minutes for a fine attacking display but their constant haranguing of the Referee did them little credit. To many present, the referee had a good game – with one small criticism. Four minutes stoppage time in the first half and nine in the second. Where does it all come from?