○Harvest4–3Andover Town

Town travelled down to Southsea to face Harvest FC at the University of Portsmouth sports ground. And even before kick-off there was the first of an increasingly bizarre set of decisions by the referee Mark Pointing who deemed the pitch unplayable because of Canada Geese droppings on the playing surface. Luckily Harvest managed to obtain the use of a neighbouring 3G pitch and kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes.

Harvest are a very tall physical side and they started confidently but Town grew into the game and a nice move saw them open the scoring in the 15th minute. Full back Alfie Budd made good ground down the right wing and fired in a fine cross which Luke Holden gleefully tapped in to make the score 1-0. This gave confidence to the visitors and they almost doubled the score in the 25th minute when a quick break freed up Malachi Johnson who hit a good shot from 22 yards which skimmed just over the bar. Town pressure paid off as the half progressed and following a terrific scramble in the goal mouth it looked like Jacob Burrows squeezed the ball over the line in the 43rd minute to make the score 2-0. This seemed like the first half was over but right on the stroke of half time the Harvest number 7 scored in the 45th minute to make the score at the break 2-1. The referee was making an increasing number of very strange decisions during the half which affected both sides.

Andover started the second half with good attacking intent and increased their lead in the 52nd minute when Jacob Burrows hit a powerful shot from 23 yards out which gave the Harvest keeper no chance to make the score 3-1. And in the 54th minute Ryan Morgans almost made it 4-1 when through on goal he looked certain to score but the keeper somehow palmed the shot away. At this stage victory was looking a formality but Harvest dragged themselves back into the game in the 74th minute when a through ball somehow eluded the Town defence and they scored to make the score 3-2. And then somewhat worryingly Andover were increasingly being dominated and their confidence looked very low. They were looking desperate to end the game but right on time Harvest scored to equalize in the 92nd minute to make the score 3-3. For some totally inexplicable reason the referee Mark Pointing then added 15 minutes of time and with Andover looking more and more ragged Harvest scored again in the 112th minute to win the game right at the death. How on earth the referee allowed all the extra time was an absolute disgrace and Town trooped off looking totally dejected.

Andover quickly have to put this dispiriting defeat behind them as they next play Liss Athletic in the semi-final of the George Mason Memorial Shield. This is on Saturday next Match 29th kick-off 2pm away at Liss.