Andover Town5–1○Cowes Sports

With another good attendance of 106, Andover Town entertained Cowes Sports at the Portway on Saturday. One team change from last Saturday’s starting lineup was Sammy Pekun replacing Carlo Santoro. Skipper Liam Gilbert was making his fiftieth appearance for Andover.

Andover started the match well and they were passing the ball around confidently, and with Ross Gregory and Mcaulie Stubbs (Who has played in 3 different positions in the last 3 games) playing solidly at the back Town were beginning to dominate the match. Early signs when a good move down the left found Zach Glasspool but his shot was just wide. However, on eight minutes Andover took the lead when a cross from the right found Shane lock unmarked who swept the ball past Hatt in the visitor’s goal, for his tenth goal of the season making him joint top scorer. Andover almost increased their lead when a free kick outside the box from Santafe went just over the crossbar. The first attempt on goal from Cowes came in the twenty fifth minute when the visitors Elliot, was on one to one in the penalty area but Lloyd Thomas’ reflex action took the ball of his feet. Reece Rusher and Sammy Pekun switched wings several times during the course of the game and this posed problems for the Cowes defence all afternoon. Andover Town forced several corners before they doubled their lead when Sammy Pekun had a shot blocked the ball then looped up into the air to be headed home by Zach Glasspool for his eleventh goal of the season. A free kick by Liam Gilbert went just past the post without a deflection but a corner was awarded and the corner was only partially cleared and the ball fell to Reece Rusher whose well directed shot flashed past Hatt in the Cowes goal. With minutes of the half left, Lloyd Thomas was called into action but he dealt well with the attempt.

Andover Town went into the Halftime Interval with a commanding 3-0 lead.

Andover continued where they left off in the first half and dominated the early start of the second half. Early chances in the second half, firstly fell to Adam Grange whose powerful shot went wide, then a Reece Rusher cross met first time by Liam Gilbert but his shot just went over the bar. Just past the hour mark Reece Rusher put Town 4-0 in front when cutting in from the left his angled shot found the bottom corner. Cowes Sports reduced the arrears when a break away found Gareth Bricknell who was put through on goal and his well-placed shot was just out of the reach of Lloyd Thomas’s full length dive. The visitors then had a couple of attempts on goal in quick succession but Lloyd Thomas saved confidently. Finally, deep into injury time Reece Rusher set up Victor Gutierrez to score Andover Town’s fifth and his second goal in two games after coming off the bench.

The game ended 5-1 to Town which was their sixth Consecutive home win and they remain in tenth place in the league table. One suprising aspect of the match was the four bookings (three for Andover & one for Cowes) in a match that wasn't dirty in any way.