Andover Town 3–0 Fleet Spurs

On an unseasonably warm and sunny afternoon Fleet Spurs were the visitors to Portway. Jake Watson made his 50th appearance and Zach Hine returned to Town and started on the bench. Hopefully there would be no complacency in the ranks even though at the start of the game Fleet were anchored at the foot of the table with no wins and no points so far in this campaign.

Andover started brightly and in the 5th minute an accurate long cross field pass from defender Taylor-Kelly found David Gerrard on the edge of area whose shot was well saved by the Fleet keeper. But after this Fleet broke quickly and decisively and hit the post with a shot across the face of the goal a reminder, if one was needed, that Town needed to be on their guard. On the 15th minute a great through ball from keeper Steinborn-Busse freed up Jordan Smith in the penalty area who produced a definite goal bound shot which was brilliantly palmed away by the Spurs keeper. Andover had started well enough but as the half wore on Fleet did not look at all like a foot of the table and pointless team. In the 32nd minute Brendan Holmes surged down the right, his cross was flicked on by Ryan Griffiths to Ben Emans who fired in a point blank shot from twelve yards out which the keeper acrobatically tipped over the bar. Town were certainly creating several chances but would they come to regret not capitalizing on any. As the game moved on Fleet were defending solidly and it was no real surprise when the first half ended with the score at 0-0.

Andover made three changes at the start of the second half which presumably were tactical ones since there was no apparent injuries but players may have been rested for the third round Wessex League Cup match on Tuesday against Premier League Hamble Club. Zach Hine replaced Jordan Smith, Lewis Williams replaced Ali Hatchem and Nehniah McKenley- Burke replaced Harrison Hale. Town needed to settle quickly with their changes and did that well with the first goal in the 53rd minute when a Ben Emans pinpoint cross from the left found sub Lewis Williams in the penalty area who coolly slotted the ball home. There then followed a real ten minute purple patch when first Emans was tripped in the box for a certain penalty. Normally reliable penalty taker David Gerrard stepped up and hit the post. Fortunately the second goal came quickly afterwards in the 58th minute when Corey Taylor-Kelly came up for a corner stroked the ball into the net from ten yards out. The score was now 2-0 and Fleet seemed a little disheartened and certainly were a few minutes later when in the 65th minute a great run and cross from Lewis Williams on the right was fired into the net from close range by Ryan Griffiths. Good to have Griffiths back from a lengthy injury absence and good to see that he had lost none of his goal poaching ability. Two more substitutions followed and the game drifted toward the end with Town comfortably closing out the game and finishing with a 3-0 victory.

So in the end a comfortable enough win but without the cricket score which some may have predicted. Fleet played well enough, especially in the first half, and may be able to escape relegation as the season progresses. The next match is on Tuesday evening at Portway in a Wessex League Cup third round match against Hamble Club, kick-off 7.45pm.