○Hamworthy Recreation10–2Andover Town

Match report below ....... However, Town have now slumped to 20th place in the league after their biggest ever defeat away - also a man sent off just before half time. Now conceded 56 goals in 12 league matches !! Oddly though we have scored more goals than 6 other teams in the league ??

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Match report

Travelling down to Wimborne Andover had the daunting prospect of facing Hamworthy Rec who are unbeaten this season, top of the table and scoring goals for fun. The kick-off was greeted by warm sunshine and still conditions on what must be the best playing surface in the league by a country mile, just like playing at Wembley, and with some of the best off-field facilities in the league.

Sadly the worst possible start when right from the kick-off a break down the left and a fine cross was met by number 9 Chris Long who scored in the 46th second. It was to be the start of an incredible afternoon for Long. It’s pretty difficult to describe what happened next. Andover’s defence was totally absent right from the kick-off and amazingly Chris Long seemed to score every time he got the ball. Indeed he scored another 4 goals in the 9th, 16th, 20th and 28th minute - this must surely be a record amount of time for anyone to score 5 goals. To say that Andover were abject would be an understatement and at this rate goodness knows what the final score would be. Another goal came in the 35th minute with an own goal when an almost comical lob over keeper Bufton made the score 6-0. Things could not possibly get any worse but they surely did when the Town centre back Jatden Wheeler was sent off after preventing a goal by being the last defender. Quite difficult to say how the defence would cope with the lack a man since they couldn’t even manage with a full complement of 11. Being thankful for small mercies Hamworthy did not score again although they easily could have and the score at half time was 6-0.

The start of the second half absolutely mirrored the start of the first half when George Deem waltzed through the defence to score to make the score 7-0 in the 49th minute. And as you may have guessed Hamworthy continued to score at will as the second half progressed . Number 7 Tyler Rudd completed what must be the easiest hat-trick imaginable with goals in 60th, 70th and 81st minutes (a penalty) to make the score 10-0 still with ten minutes to go. And then in an almost bizarre end to the match Andover scored two very well taken goals to make the final score 10-2.

How to sum up this match ? Hamworthy were excellent throughout and already look like champions elect, they thoroughly deserved their victory. Town were truly shocking and at this rate it is difficult to see where the next points are coming from. Indeed at the end some of the Hamworthy Committee said how sad they were to witness the decline of Andover Town. The stark fact is that it is not lack of effort from any of the Andover players, rather it is that the present squad just do not have the level of skill and ability to compete in this division. Relegation sadly looms.