Andover Town1–2Stockbridge

Stockbridge are definitely fast becoming a bogey side for Town who have not yet won against them in the three games in history which have been played. Andover welcomed their Test Valley neighbours to Portway on a dull, wet and pretty cold late December afternoon.

The visitors started very much on the front foot and went ahead as early as the 8th minute when a cross from the right was met by an unmarked number 10 Pye in the area who coolly slid the ball in from six yards out. Already 1-0 down Town tried hard to get level but all their good approach work was undone in the 22nd minute when keeper Chris Redshaw uncharacteristically flapped at a cross in the area which fell at the feet of the Stockbridge striker Richardson who had the ridiculously easy opportunity to double the visitors lead and make the score 2-0. So after only twenty odd minutes Town already had a mountain to climb if they were to get anything out of this game. And then to compound the situation Andover had the ball in the net in the 37th minute from a lovely chip from Ryan Morgans – unaccountability the Stockbridge sub who was running the line flagged for offside which was clearly wrong for everyone in the crowd, even the Stockbridge supporters, to see. How ridiculous it is in the so called Hampshire Premier League not to have official neutral linesmen and such a terrible injustice that the Andover goal did not stand. But in the very last minute of the half Town were awarded a penalty and Ryan Morgans fired home high to the to the keeper’s right to make the half time score 2-1 to Stockbridge.

Andover started the second half brightly, soon had total control and it seemed only a matter of time before they scored the equalizer. Chances came quickly so did corners but it took a combination of shots just over the bar, shots skimming just wide and stalwart Stockbridge defending often with ten men lined up behind the ball in the penalty area to keep the home side out. Time was rapidly running out but it seemed certain that Town would score in the 93th minute when an almighty skirmish in the penalty area saw the ball ricochet off the inside of the post and squirt agonisingly along the line without going in. So final score was 1-2 and Town lose yet again to their near neighbours..

Difficult to sum up this game objectively when Town had so many second half opportunities to level the score and go on and win the game but in the old cliché chances don’t win matches. Now they just have to put that game behind them and move on to the next one which is at home on Saturday January 4th kick-off 2pm against Headley United in the 4th round of the Hampshire Saturday Trophy.