○Fareham Town2–2Andover Town

Perhaps against the odds, playing a team from the Premier Division Andover came out the winners. Drawing 2-2 at half-time, thanks to goals from Trapnell & Johnson after being 2-0 down, a goalless second half the match went to penalties. The five penalty scorers were Hine, Johnson, Parton, Agbaheire & Trapnell. We now meet Downton away in round two.

Well done lads !!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Match report courtesy of Fareham Town from their view.

Fareham had had quite a bit of success in recent seasons in the Wessex League cup so this first round match V Andover Town was eagerly anticipated. Fareham giving some of Saturdays bench some playing time, Mark Smith, Tom Carpenter and Sam Emeny all getting a start. Unfortunately after a pleasant day, drizzle had set in a couple of hours before kick-off and by the time the game started it was raining hard.

Andover started the game with a high tempo, pressing Fareham all over the pitch, and coupled with the conditions Fareham were finding it difficult to get going, the first chance on 7 mins falling to the visitors, a shot from distance skidding wide. So 10 mins in, it was a scrappy affair, Fareham giving the ball away too often, but Andover failing to really do much with the ball they were winning but the visitors were shading it. It took until the 20th min before Fareham created anything of note, and boy, was it a good one, Smith out wide on the right laid the ball back to Johnston who floated his shot over Kameron Wise in the Andover goal, Wise just managing to get a finger to it to tip it onto the bar and over. From the corner Dan Bennett with a free header put Fareham into the lead 1-0 can’t say that was coming. The goal settled Fareham down a bit and now they were starting to get a bit of possession, on 28 mins a mix up in the Andover defence and the ball ran through to Joe Johnson who slotted low at the near post to make it 2-0. A few minutes later and a poor freekick out from the Andover back line fell directly to Lewis Colvin who tried his luck from the half way line and it wasn’t far over. But just as the Fareham fans were starting to relax, a ball through the middle and the Fareham defence was caught flatfooted, Malachi Johnson shooting home 2-1. From the kick off Sam Woodward received the ball and shot just over. But up the other end and on 40 mins Andover won a corner, Owen Trapnell was unmarked and headed home to make the scores level 2-2. As the half time whistle approached Joe Ryan nicked the ball inside the Andover penalty area, turned and shot only to see the ball come back off the foot of the post, then a few minutes into injury time and Mark Smith was played clear, but blasted his shot high over the bar. Still time for Andover to have another chance, the shot going across Jordi Valero and just past the far post

HALF TIME Fareham Town 2-2 Andover Town

The rain had subsided and the second half started with a Andover corner, put in low to the edge of the box it was struck well only for the Fareham defence to clear it off the line. Mark Smith at the other end then shooting across the keeper but also wide of the far post. So the second half had started as much as the general play from the first half, Andover looking the livelier and Fareham struggling to put any passes together, the visitors simply outworking Fareham. Jack Nicholas replaced Mark Smith and it was Nicholas with the next chance, a shot straight at the keeper. Fareham made a double substation to try and force their way back in, McCombie and Carpenter making way for Kieron Clark and a debut for Kerem Ozogul. Fareham now started to show what they can do, some good passing play on 72 mins saw Woodward through, his shot saved low down by the keeper, and two minutes later Dan Bennett broke clear on the right, his ball across to Woodward who hit it first time, Wise in the Andover goal saving well to keep it out. From the corner the header went just wide. Fareham were now creating chances, Joe Ryan with a good shot that the keeper spilled out for a corner and on 75 Sam Woodward hit a lovely freekick that picked out Dan Bennett, his header from point blank range hit the keeper on the knee and another chance went begging. Matt Pates replaced Joe Ryan but it was Andover’s turn next, in fact two good chances for the visitors, the first just wide and the second shot going just over Valeros bar. Joe Johnson was replaced by Cowhen Whitaker. Into the last few minutes and a freekick to Fareham, Jack Nicholas hitting the crossbar, the ball falling to Ozogul who poked it home but was judged to be offside. Well into injury time and Lewis Colvin hit a shot from range that came back off the post, Ozogul again onto the rebound but the keeper yet again pulled off a good save. So Fareham just couldn’t wrap it up in that last 10 mins and the game went to Penalties.

FULL TIME Fareham Town 2-2 Andover Town

Jack Nicholas was up first, blasted low into the corner 1-0

Zach Hine for Andover Town sent Jordi the wrong way 1-1

Cowhen Whitaker hit his low to the keepers left and into the corner 2-1

Malachi Johnson replying with a similar effort 2-2

Lewis Colvin next, no problems with that one 3-2

Andovers Jake Parton then sending Jordi the wrong way 3-3

Sam Emeny then stepped up but the keeper guessed right and saved 3-3

Runo Agberhiere blasting down the middle, Jordi just unable to get his outstretched boot to it. 3-4

Sam Woodward with a nice pen to make it 4-4

But then Own Trapnell finished it off with Andover’s fifth 4-5

And were out of the Wessex league cup. Full credit to Andover Town, their workrate was very high but Fareham will be kicking themselves for not converting one of those chances late on in the game.