Andover New Street 2–1 Andover Town

This eagerly awaited and equally eagerly contested local derby drew an astonishing attendance of two hundred and forty eight to Foxcotte Park and though some will have been disappointed with the result there could be few complaints about the game itself. The attendance was higher than any to date in the Premier Division this season and with the Laverstock/Bemerton clash some fifteen miles down the road attracting two hundred it was a good night for Division One.

There was a bright start from both sides and visiting keeper Dave Tasker – one of the many on the pitch who had played for both sides at some stage – was quickly in action, beating Shane Lock to a through ball and then going full stretch to save from Jazz Beavis. There was an early blow for Street when captain and defensive lynchpin Matt Scott was helped off in the twelfth minute in considerable pain with what looked very much like hamstring problems. Mark Keogh filled the gap and within a further five minutes New Street were ahead. A free kick from the right was swung in to the area and only partially cleared, Beavis’s shot hit an advancing defender and the referee, perfectly placed, gave a penalty for handball. Under the draconian rule that applies to handball nowadays he was right but it would be very harsh to suggest the offence was deliberate. So penalty it was and CALLUM SWEENEY confidently stroked home the kick to put the home side in front. Neat control by Thomas Pattinson gave Josh Berti a chance but the Andover wide man pulled his shot across goal before Street were forced in to another change with Ilyas Warshow replacing the limping Jason Silver. Andover’s Zach Hine was only inches high with a snatched volley after the ball was deflected in to his part before New Street saw three attacks in as many minutes halted by the offside flag. The visitors were too often halted or broke down before reaching the penalty area but they made and missed the best chance of the half ten minutes before the break. Pattinson’s through ball split the defence and sent Zach Neve clear but with only goalkeeper Chris Wing to beat he went for power rather than placement and the shot was too high. Beavis was too high at the other end before Town fashioned another chance. This time Hine supplied the through ball and Berti, coming in from the left, saw his shot blocked by Wing’s legs before all settled for the half time tea with Street a goal to the good.

An odd start to the second half which rather set a precedent as to what was to follow when in the opening seconds, the referee, who had enjoyed a good first half, cautioned Sweeney for the most innocuous of challenges and then sent him to the sin bin for presumably debating a further free kick after another similar challenge. Wing dropped a cross under pressure but Keogh blocked Berti’s follow up and despite the Town enjoying more of the possession Street survived the ten minutes numerical disadvantage. Three cautions for more minor offences followed, the last leading to a free kick on the edge of the Andover area which Luke Hooper blasted in to the defensive wall. Yet another booking led to a free kick at the other end from which Neve was wide with a header.. Play was now at times verging on the frantic and yet another free kick brought the equaliser on thirty two minutes, ZACH HINE lifting the ball over the wall and high in to the net. Both sides made full use of their substitutes before five minutes after drawing level Town found themselves behind again. A long run by Beavis was ended at the expense of a corner, the kick was half cleared, Long swing the ball back in from the other flank and defender JAKE CURTIS headed home from three yards in the midst of a static defence and goalkeeper. There was time for one more caution and for Andover to miss another clear cut chance when an under hit back pass left Ben Emans in a one on one position with Wing but the ball was blasted straight at the stranded keeper.

An enjoyable game and Andover Town can consider themselves perhaps unfortunate not to get a point but they missed two good chances and, as at Whitchurch recently, conceded a goal from a cross that travelled a long way yet found the defence rooted to the ground. And overall – far too many cautions.This was a game where the players all knew each other and was played in a perfectly acceptable spirit.