Andover Town4–1○Downton

For almost an hour a determined Downton made Andover Town work hard but two quick goals early in the second half ensured that this game was not an early banana skin for the home side. A good crowd at Sparsholt College witnessed a goalless but competitive first half.Town had enough chances in the first period to have wrapped the game up by the break, but let themselves down with some poor finishing .The visitors always looked promising going forward ,but were unable to make an impression in and around the Andover area.

Half time 0-0

Andover made five changes at the start of the second half and that soon paid dividends when Ross Gregory at the far post converted a corner. Two minutes later Andover doubled the lead as an unmarked Jason Silver tapped in from five yards after a mix up in the Downton defence.Almost immediately the visitors pulled a goal back when Gregory’s over hit and rather ambitious back pass ended up in the Andover net. Any hopes that this would lead to a Downton revival were soon dashed as Edu Jimenez’s long range effort took a deflection for Andover’s third. As is so often the case Downton ran out of steam towards the end allowing the impressive Jason Silver to shave the cross bar before scoring the fourth goal with a fine individual effort.

Full time 4-1

TEAM - McHARDY, HIBBERD, BLAKEMAN, GILBERT, STUBBS, DEMPSEY, RUSHER, DOCKREE, GLASSPOOL, JIMENEZ, GOSNEY.

SECOND HALF CHANGES - THOMAS, LOCK, GREGORY, SILVER, SANTAFE-VIVO, GUITIERREZ.

BRENDAN HOLMES and GEORGE FARREELY (SPARSHOLT ACADEMY) ALSO TOOK PART.