Andover Town4–2○Southsea Sports

All my dreams.

As I came to on the sofa at 5.30 Saturday morning, awoken from dreams of past Andover Town glories by our cat sitting by her cat flap - it being the type that only opens to her majesty with a click, so her sat next to the cat flap sends in morse code “awake staff and open the big door for me”. And so it was time to rise and shine, take in the morning air and wonder what the day would bring? How little did I know. Weather warning green, amber and red

The weather being completely unreliable I went with trousers, t-shirt, jumper and coat option picking up fellow Blue Army veteran Alan with shorts, jumper and brolly combo we looked ready for a soiree into the wilderness.

With entry into the cauldron of noise The Portway, greetings made, refreshments gathered, it was time to mooch round to The Bank End.

Are you kidding me. Within 30 seconds of kickoff the rain started, coat went on, brolly went up, and with my wobble pop cup filling up faster than I could empty it, the decision was made to abandon The Bank End in favour of The Shed End. As we were strolling down just before The Main Stand a ball was played through to Luke Holden - a simple offside surely? No he’s onside and a sublime chip that would go over the bar nothing to see! Wait it’s in, what a beauty, 1 nil. 3 mins on the clock any other match this season the goal would shrink and the wind lift the ball well over the bar. We finally made our way to The Shed End with rain coming down in stair rods a quick attacking play found the Town with a corner and Luke Holden in clear space to nod in number 2 with 5 mins on the clock who is this team? Still only 85 mins to hold on. Southsea looked stunned, we were stunned, a 2 goal lead it was good but would it last? With Andover attacking freely and looked off the leash it was no surprise when Luke found himself in the box with time to shoot - hitting the upright ricocheting off the upright across the goal for a goal kick….is how the script normally goes this season but not this day as the ball found itself nestling in the onion bag. Luke Holden 8 minute hat-trick TAKE A BOW SON.

3 nil Town time to work. Southsea heads were down but any side whom could read the table and see the results would know the game could turn and so Southsea tried with 10 mins of pressure and the obligatory Town 5 corner give away (please learn how to clear) nothing seemed to trouble us apart from the last corner when our Number 11 Henri Wendin cleared off the line. Once cleared the ball found itself moved quickly by town always probing, a refreshing sight to see with the chances made none taken. Our Henrik Wendin looking really good controlling long diagonal passes causing the Southsea all sorts of mischief. With one such move resulting in a clear as

mud penalty for Town for Ryan Morgans to slot home. 4 nil Town and we were still nervous. Please don’t do anything silly, settle down, hold out, 10 mins to half time then take stock, but Town had other ideas moving the ball with long raking passes from our number 4 (we don’t get to see the team sheets any more) our Henrik Wendin looked majestic and for 10mins we pretended we weren’t bottom of the league and actually smiled.

Half time 4 nil.

It couldn’t last. Town kicked off toward The Shed End with Owen Trappnell taking a cheeky shot from within our half and not too far away to doubling his tally for the season (cheers Owen) followed by a sly grin and a hand toward the Blue Army. With the Southsea goal kick taken the visitors started to apply pressure and after 8mins scored; the Blue Army’s shoulders slumped as we could guess what could come next. 4-1 to Town. There ensued a frantic 15mins. Southsea were beginning to lose the plot with decisions that went against them, particularly their number 16, with Town gaining some corners after some good play and determination. Southsea then broke down the right with their own impressive number 11 with a cross into the box and Big Chris left helpless as the ball found the back of the net. 4-2….. or so we thought! After a discussion with the linesman the goal was ruled out, back to 4-1 and relief. Maybe this would be our day? The next corner for Town found all sorts of shenanigans going on - Owen getting a belly rub from their number 16 who fell over, something happened to Southsea’s keeper who got a yellow card and sinned binned (no I didn’t think he was going home Alan). With Southsea down to 10 men and felt hard done by they played better, with long balls finding their players especially a fine ball to their number 11 whom crossed with aplomb for one of our players to slide it home. Now it was 4-2. After a long break for tying shoe laces and substitutions Southsea was back to 11 players and a fire in their belly. 2 great tackles by “I’ll show them how to slide” Sam Scannelli kept the scores level. We were counting down working out how long to go reckoned about 10 mins could this be our 1st victory, when an innocuous jump for a ball saw a Southsea player land awkwardly and fail to get up. Ref blew, trainer came on, our manager came on, this was not good, the ref blew for full time. The Ben Emmans gates were opened. Wishing the Southsea player a speedy recovery. It was no way to end a match.

Man O Match

Normally an 8 minute hat-trick would ace it not today sorry Luke. Today was our Number 11 Henri Wendin took by a nose. Good work fella.

Thanks to Beryl Carr sorting emails out.

Thanks to you all for reading if you got this far.

Family duty for the next 2 weekends so your chance to have a go at a match report.

Aristotle.