Andover Town 3–2 Newport (IoW)

Andover Town returned to the Portway Stadium for the first Saturday since mid-January to entertain Newport (IoW) on a sunny afternoon. Two changes from the previous match with Horndean, with Recce Rusher & Shane Lock missing from the line-up, giving way to Craig Blakeman & Alex Dockree, Alex making his 100th league appearance for the club.

Andover started well and showed their early intensions when an early shot by Zach Glasspool was saved at the foot of the post and then a shot from Adam Grange playing on the right fizzed just wide of the far post. Andover’s pressure paid off and in the 9th minute Zach Glasspool ran onto a through ball and shrugged off a defender before cooling slotting the ball across Streeter in the bottom corner (His 4th goal in the last 5 games). Adam Grange was giving the visitors defence a torrid time going past defenders time and time again on the right and was a constant threat to the Newport defence, Andover doubled their lead when Adam Grange fired home from outside the box the ball hitting the inside of the right-hand post on its way to the back of the net. He then had two shots in quick succession that went wide. With just under twenty minutes gone Adam Grange again went past a defender and his cross was deflected into the net by Newport’s Liam Newbould to extend the home sides lead. Andover were dominating the match and were passing the ball accurately and were in complete control only restricting Newport to a couple of shots that did not trouble Lloyd Thomas. However, with five minutes until half time, Ross Gregory brought down Liam Triggs in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot, Ross Gregory was booked before Connor Kelly converted the spot kick.

Andover went into the Halftime Interval leading 3-1.

At the start of the second half Mcaulie Stubbs replaced Jordan Brackstone. Andover nearly increased their lead when a cross from the right found Zach Glasspool whose header just cleared the crossbar. Then minutes later a shot from Adam Grange was just wide and then Alex Dockree had a volley that went just over. Newport were gaining momentum as Andover were not dominating the match as they were in the first half but with Adam Grange on the right and Carlo Santoro on the left taking on defenders they stretched the Newport defence and were still creating chances. Newport almost reduced Andover’s lead with a well hit shot from Lewis Wright that was narrowly wide. But in the 86 minute Newport scored again when substitute Josh Maloney fired home to bring Newport a glimmer of hope for a point that seemed unlikely after the first 20 minutes. So, the ­­­full-time whistle came has a welcome relief to the Home crowd. This win meant Andover Town completed a double over Newport (IOW) and moved them up to 12th place in the league.