Andover Town 0–3 Andover New Street

On a damp and dismal afternoon in terms of the weather, well over three hundred people were at the Portway to see the latest meeting of the two Andover Clubs. and though those of a Town persuasion will be disappointed at the result, they will surely agree that it was the usual high octane encounter between the two clubs and an eminently enjoyable game of football that was a credit to the League and all concerned.

Home keeper Karl Steinborne-Busse was quickly out to deny Ross Cook on the edge of the area before Zach Hine, playing against the Club he was with earlier in the season, found Ryan Griffiths in space but the striker was quickly crowded out, though that set the pattern for ninety minutes of endeavour from Hine. Town were looking the more threatening but with only five minutes played it was Street who opened the scoring. The ball was played down the inside left channel and Ross Cook simply shrugged aside his marker before firing low across the keeper and inside the far post. Town responded with a spell of possession and a Brendon Holmes shot from a Ben Emans cross was deflected for a corner. A quick New Street break was halted by a challenge on Harry Beckley by Kimran Quashie that earned the defender a caution and Mikey Davis’s free kick was fumbled by Steinborne- Busse but the keeper reacted very quickly to prevent an own goal when one of his defenders got his bearings wrong. Josh Moore beat the keeper from a narrow angle but a defender was in position to ensure the score stayed at one before there was a hiatus while the referee sorted out an off the ball incident that resulted in a yellow card for Holmes. The Andover skipper responded with a clever through ball but Griffiths was crowded out and as play switched to the other end Cook and Shane Lock created an opening for Beckley but the shot was straight at the goalkeeper. Holmes was too high from another Emans cross but it was Street who had the last word on the half as, with forty five minutes on the clock, Ross Cook chased a through ball and was hauled down by Steinborne-Busse before getting up and converting the penalty with his customary aplomb to send his side into the break two goals to the good.

Davis, who had finished the first half limping, was replaced by Cameron Thatcher on the re-start and an early free kick for Street came to nothing. Town took advantage of a careless cross field pass to make ground but the shot was wayward and a Beckley run won a corner for Street that too had no end result. A quickly taken free kick saw Town on the front foot again before a superb tackle by Matt Scott averted the danger but Town were unlucky when Emans pulled the ball back to the edge of the area and Holmes’s shot smashed against the bar which was still quivering a minute or so later. Cook, Lock and Beckley again carried the ball forward but the latter, having his best game to date for the Club was foiled by the home keeper. Fifteen minutes in to the half and Street made it three. Ross Cook chased a long ball, the keeper came out and made contact but the big striker coolly found the empty net with the keeper now stranded. It was now a case of what we have we hold for Street and their experienced back line, well marshalled by Scott, gave nothing away. Both sides made liberal use of their substitutes and Steinborne Buss escaped with an “air shot” before in Town’s last chance to get on the scoresheet Hine drove a free kick in to the defensive wall.

Overall, Street deserved their win for a fully committed team performance while for Town the likes of Holmes, Emans and Hine too often lacked support. Three valuable points for New Street who remain unbeaten in the League as it moves in to the New Year. But one point. Why so many yellow cards and this is sadly becoming a too readily accepted part of the game nowadays.