Andover Town 2–2 Andover New Street

Matches between these two Clubs, little more than a mile apart, are always entertaining and this was no exception for as a game it had everything. Goals, missed chances, all out attacking football, determined and often brave defending, an exciting finish and one of the most bizarre goals one will ever see.

The visitors made the better start with a Luke Hooper shot turned round the post by keeper Jack Hopwood, a Cameron Thatcher cross emphatically cleared for a corner and a handball claim turned down. Ben Emans bought Town in to the game with a couple of pacy runs and a shot that hit the inside of the far post and rebounded in to play, but after Street goalkeeper Chris Wing bravely saved a Michael Owen shot the home side went ahead on the ten minute mark. A corner, swung in from the left, was headed back in to the six yard box and JOSH BERTIE was the quickest to react and hooked the ball over the line. Street bounced back with a fierce Ross Cook volley that was (painfully) blocked and two further efforts from the same player were saved by Hopwood, one with his legs. Hooper’s pace was troubling the Town defence and a Shane Lock cross was headed out of Hopgood’s hands by one of his own defenders before the lead was doubled after twenty six minutes. Wing collected a through ball and under little pressure whilst debating his clearance suddenly trod on the ball, fell over, and MICHAEL OWEN almost apologetically rolled the ball in to the empty net. Bizarre ! Bertie just failed to make contact with a left wing cross and at the other end Hopwood fumbled a Hooper shot before bravely falling on the loose ball and then denying Cook again as the striker tried to find the far corner. As Street finished the half the strongest the home defence held firm, often with bodies in the way of the ball, and the half ended with some superb control by Hooper and an equally superb save by Hopwood, leaving the half time tea to taste sweeter in the home dressing room.

Half time - Andover Town 2-0 Andover New Street

Street started the second half with Lewis Alderman replacing Adam Pearson in the heart of the defence and came close to reducing the deficit when a home defender swung wildly at a Lloyd Thompson cross and was relieved to see the ball fly over his own crossbar. Back came the home side with Nathan Primus finding Bertie, whose shot was high, before Wing produced the save of the evening to turn a Tom Pattison piledriver over the bar. Both sides began introducing their substitutes, Hopwood thwarted Cook again and Lloyd Thompson was stopped by weight of numbers on the edge of the area. Andover were surprisingly neglecting the ever-dangerous Emans on the left flank which reduced their attacking threat and they also tended to fall foul of the offside flag too often. The stoppages for the substitutions had interrupted the flow of the game which developed in to a midfield battle for a spell until bursting in to life again with some six minutes left on the clock. Street made ground down the left, CAMERON THATCHER burst in to the area and simply kept running and slotted the ball past Hopwood from a narrow angle. There was then the usual “debate” as to who was going to retrieve the ball from the net, a scuffle and a red card for Natham Primus with the referee indicating that he had stamped on an opponent. The first card of the game and no real protests at the decision. Scenting a point New Street came forward again and Thompson was inches away with an acrobatic volley from a Ross Belbin cross before Adam Pattison collected a yellow card for a tackle born out of frustration. Normal time had given way to added time when New Street won a corner on the right. The kick cleared everybody and ROSS COOK, all alone on the far side of the area, volleyed the ball through the crowd of defenders and attackers alike to find the net inside the far post and cause almost manic celebrations from the white shirted visitors. Within another minute the final whistle ensured honours finished even after a match which was a credit to both sides and, in turn, the League. And immense credit to referee Derek Pratt and his assistants for their part in the proceedings, showing again that if you talk to players rather than wave yellow cards, then the players respond in the right manner and it was a local derby played in the best of spirits.

Mention too of the remarkable attendance – 369 – with people still queuing to get in ten minutes after kick off.

A very enjoyable evening.