WESSEX LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 4TH MARCH 2017
ANDOVER TOWN 5 VERWOOD TOWN 1

Missing personnel and positional changes meant a very different line up than we expected earlier in the week.

In came Max Mason, Callum O’Hare, for their first baptism in the Prem and a welcome back for Ryan Kelly.

For the first ten minutes we carried the game to the home team and Dyer in particular sparked several attacks from midfield. Fisk forced a corner on the right and Kelly put the ball just over the angle with a header. A minute later another corner skimmed the bar but finished up in dead.

Andover’s reaction was to spring a couple of counters but O’Hare and Donachy had things stitched up so little went through the middle. Equally both Mason and Ben Kelly patrolled the flanks leaving Bennet well shielded.

Andover’s discipline and consistency in attacking style gradually pushed us back and in the 34th minute paid off with a counter attack down their left and a deep cross was turned in past Bennet. 0-1.

Fletcher almost brought us level with a good shot following a through ball from Ryan Kelly but the keeper did well to stop the shot on the line.

O’Hare blocked a central run and found Ryan Kelly with a ball through the centre. Kelly moved the ball wide for Fisk and a great run and cross almost crept in on the post but the ball was cleared before it could alter the score line.

On 42 minutes Dyer’s pressure on the ball earned a free kick. Ben Kelly nodded it down and there was Donachy to steer it past the keeper. 1-1.

Lack of concentration 2 minutes later let in a runner … 1-2 down !!!.

Half time 1-2.

Andover opened well. Attacks on both flanks had Mason and Kelly working hard. Centrally Donachy and O’Hare continued to closely monitor central runners. Donachy cleared a cross and then O’Hare steered the ball wide from an interception. The counter put us into Andover’s third. Ryan Kelly whipped the ball out to Bergin and a high ball into the box found Fisk. A rising shot was well taken by the keeper. It was a good spell but didn’t last.

We began to give ground. Andover’s pressure forced us to retreat. Fisk headed a corner off the line and Donachy headed another corner out of the 6 yard box.

On 67 minutes Andover opened us up on the left, a low hard cross flew into the box and was hammered past Bennet from close in. 1-3.

Bergin made way for Webber on 70 minutes with Webber staying wide left.

2 minutes later we were opened up like a can of sardines and Andover made it 1-4.

We made a brief attempt to get back to our first half performance but didn’t have the discipline or fitness level. Andover had the consistency and with five minutes to go a threaded ball through the middle was picked up and put past Bennet for number 5.

We had a brief flurry of activity in the last couple of minutes with Jamie Webber making ground on the left and a good cross was fired inches wide by Ryan Kelly.

We were disappointed, but it’s fair to say our only dejection came in the coach returning to Verwood when we were subjected to a Donachy and Bergin rendition of ‘My Girl’.

Result 1-5.