Fawley AFC 2–2 Andover Town

Andover Town made the journey down to Fawley in search of much needed points to move out of the bottom position in the league.

The match started brightly with both teams using the ball at their feet, with interchanging moves flowing in both directions. It was not until the 8th minute when the first clear chance for either team was created, with Josh Bertie producing an in swinging cross from the right wing that carved the Fawley defence apart, however, it agonisingly floated just above the rising Shaquille Gwengwe's head and the first real chance was gone. Andover showed clear signs of their improving form and belief with a continued period of sustained possession and pressure, however, the final ball always appeared to be just one telling pass away from opening up the Fawley defence. Fawley started to grow into the game and kept the Andover defence on their toes, which was being marshalled with clear direction from Gary Thorne, who ensured that the Fawley front line was caught offside 3 times in a row. After 15 minutes, Fawley produced their first attempt on goal, with a close range well struck shot which required Dave Tasker to make an excellent instinctive save, low to his right. With the ball safely in the arms of Dave Tasker, the Andover keeper bowled the ball out to Owen Trapnell, who took the ball up to the half way line and after some neat one touch, multi player, passing moves, Dean Smith found himself alone on the left hand side of the Fawley box. With a cross / come shot for the waiting unmarked Shaquille Gwengwe, the Fawley keeper Page flapped at the ball and whilst attempting to punch the ball clear, he somehow managed to punch the ball backwards into his own net. With Fawley behind to a bizarre 18th minute goal, the home side started to move away from keeping the ball at their feet, and deployed a more direct approach with the ball being launched up to their two frontmen, however, the impressive back four maintained their composure and marshalled the defence with confidence and belief in one another. Growing in self belief, Andover moved forward in numbers and in an attempt to get the second goal before the break, Andover produced a series of shots that peppered the Fawley goal, which at times looked like football pinball in the Fawley box. With so many Andover players committed forward, Fawley sprung into a fast flowing counter attacked and on the 45(+2) minute Dave Tasker was once again called upon to make a fine save to preserve the lead and ensure Andover stayed on top at break.

Half time - Fawley AFC 0-1 Andover Town

During the interval, Powell Ihunan-ya who had appeared to be slightly off the pace in the first half, was replaced by Ben Emans. ​With the game only 4 minutes into the second half, and with the ball at the feet of the influential Waledin Ahmed, the Andover player was the recipient of a repugnant and excessive tackle, that resulted in the player requiring emergency medical treatment and admitted to hospital, whilst the Fawley Captain being issued an immediate red card. After a stoppage of 1 hour 30 minutes, the game restarted and the signs of the distressing injury sustained by their team mate was clearly effecting the minds of the players, with challenges no longer being as evenly contested. As the game progressed the quality of the football was understandably not to the level of the first half, however, on the 70 minute a moment of shear brilliance by Trapnell gave Andover a deserved extended lead. Owen Trapnell picked up the ball just in front of the half way line and seeing keeper Page off his line pinged the ball towards goal, the Fawley keeper attempted a save the ball, but was unable to stop the strong shot from going into the back of the net. With nothing to lose and only twenty minutes left on the clock, Fawley pushed everything at the Andover goal and after 76 minutes the first of the two comeback goals were scored. The first saw the Fawley attacker capitalising on a rear moment of confusion between the retreating Gary Thorne and advancing Dave Tasker, as they attempted to deal with a punted long ball that bounce between the two Andover players, and allowed the Fawley attacker to stick out a foot and steer the ball towards the open Andover goal. The second came 8 minutes later, when on the 84th minute, following what appeared to be a softly awarded free kick just outside the box, the Fawley attacker bent the resultant free kicked around the wall and into the top right hand corner of the goal, giving Dave Tasker no chance. As the final whilst blew, Andover will look back on this as a game with mixed emotions, firstly with the points dropped from a game that for large periods Town dominated, but more importantly for the health and wellbeing of a member of the team.