○Ash United2–2Andover Town

After a thrilling victory in the Wessex League Cup against Premier League Shaftesbury and a dismal home league defeat to Petersfield in the league what Town needed most was a run of consistency. Starting today away at lowly Ash United a win was badly needed. The game kicked off on a very mild February afternoon and the pitch looked in great condition for fluent football.

Both teams started brightly and as early as the 3rd minute a great shot from the Ash left winger Giles had Dan McCarthy at full stetch to tip the ball over for a corner. The early stages of the half saw both teams moving frenetically, too much speed on several occasions when calm heads were needed to make the team relax and play controlled passing football. After 25 minutes and after what looked like a bad leg injury Corey Taylor-Kelly had to leave the field and was replaced by Lewis Williams. The half proceeded at a brisk pace and several end to end moves resulted in both keepers being kept busy. Ash certainly did not look at this stage like a team facing relegation and were playing with real conviction. Neither side looked like scoring until in the 42nd minute Matty Morris shot powerfully and the ball broke to David Jerrard whose fierce shot flew into the net. Ash certainly ended the half pushing for the equalizer which duly arrived in the 44th minute from number 7 Kabuye. So the first half ended with the score at 1-1 which seemed to be a fair reflection of the play and Andover would need to up the anti in the second half if they were to win this match.

Town started the second half brightly and after 50 minutes went ahead through substitute Lewis Williams who broke into the right edge of the area and drilled a low shot into the far corner of the net. Andover were definitely showing more composure and control than in the first half and had a great chance in the 62nd minute to finish off the game with a third goal. From the side-line it seemed impossible for David Jerrard not to score. He beat a couple of defenders and only had to slide the ball home into the net with the keeper well beaten but for some inexplicable reason he tried to beat another couple so the chance went begging. Would that gilt edged chance come to haunt Town? It most certainly did in the last few minutes of normal time when the Ash centre back headed in from a corner to make the final result 2-2. What a setback that was and Town must have ended the game full of frustration that they did not win it.

Certainly a game that Andover could have won and indeed should have won and sadly they are now slipping down the table, getting even further away from a play-off place and heading towards a mid table finish to the season. The next game is another tough one away to Downton on Tuesday February 21st kick off 7.45pm and another stern test on Saturday February 25th went high flying New Milton Town come to Portway