WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2015
ANDOVER TOWN 3 VERWOOD TOWN 1

Kelly, Wood, Swann and Donachy, had to miss this fixture so Alan Lay juggled the line up but still felt comfortable with the squad.

Andover opened up quickly slinging the ball out wide left. A high ball into the middle cleared our defenders. Two players got round the back and a volley from the edge of the box was punched clear by Lynch. Evans swept the ball down the line for Atkinson to have a run but a good interception by the home team’s full back prevented Atkinson going clear.

Another ball hit the flank and again an early cross found space and the ball finished up in the back of the net. 0-1. Only two minutes had elapsed.

Tails up, Andover pushed forward, but we were settling quickly into the new positional format and hit back with a good move on the left. Fisk joined Atkinson for a run at the full back and good feet took Fisk wide for a shot at goal. The keeper took a clean catch on the post.

It was a good opening spell for spectators with both teams playing attacking football.

Gajic won a tackle on the half way line and found a gap to put Rutten free. Rutten played Fisk into space and Fisk’s shot although on target was deflected for a corner. The keeper punched high to clear the box. Atkinson read it well and delivered a volley that headed for the net. A defender blocked it on the line and cleared.

11 minutes gone and Goddard found Atkinson with a good ball wide right. Evans had gone for an overlap and whipped a telling cross into the penalty area. Murray judged it well and hit a tremendous low left foot shot into the bottom corner. 1-1.

18 minutes on the clock saw us defending en bloc. A move down Andover’s left was part blocked by Evans but the ball cannoned off to spin free for a shot at Lynch. Gajic cut in quickly to save Lynch’s energy and sent the ball on to Murray for a counter attack. A cross was headed clear and we found ourselves thin at the back. It was Phelps this time timing a tackle to the ‘nth degree to clear.

36 minutes and an Andover break on the left finished with a deflected cross falling nicely for a runner. A low shot was body blocked by a diving Lynch but the ball skipped high and into the net, 1-2.

The game continued to see – saw until the referee decided to blow his whistle for half time.

Half Time 1-2

The game continued where it left off with both teams committed to attack.

Phelps headed a free kick out of the area with 3 minutes gone and fell for a volley to be hammered back into the area. Brimson cleared.

Dyer sprung an attack after collecting a ball from Evans and Atkinson raced clear but blasted the ball into the side netting.

Minutes later It was Dyer who again worked the ball through the middle with Fisk and Rutten in support. Rutten finished off the move with a shot but at the keeper.

Gradually we lost ground. The middle of the park belonged to Andover and pressure on our backs was intense. Phelps and Gajic worked overtime to block the central area whilst Evans and Brimson had to be on top form controlling the flanks.

65 minutes old and Murray made way for Kimber. Kimber was instantly in the game chasing down a central runner and forcing a throw. A tussle won by Rutten caught out Andover’s backs and Rutten’s ball to Atkinson looked like a leveller. Atkinson’s cross shot beat the keeper but went inches past the wrong side of the post.

Andover pressurised again and their mid field regained control. A shot from two yards amazingly went over the bar and then Lynch had to make three good stops to prevent the home side going further ahead.

Kimber picked up a Brimson line ball and delivered a high cross into Andover’s box. Rutten followed in but hit his shot wide.

75 minutes on the clock and a unique occasion. Dyer won a strong tackle in the middle of the park and was judged to have fouled his opposite number !!!

Atkinson and Rutten both had shots during a brief spell of possession but we had to suffer no additions being made to the score sheet.

George Thomas came on for Brad Goddard with 12 minutes left and had a tough job scrapping for the ball in mid field. He did well to block one attack and then produced an inch perfect lob for Fisk to spin and shoot on the edge of the box but yet again straight at the keeper.

90 minutes gone and the score line changed when a slip in our box gave space for a shot. 1-3. A cruel finish, but, that’s football.

Result 1-3.