Another win for a dominant 1st team

A display of first half dominance paved the way for Andover to claim their second win of the season against a fierce Hamble side. Skipper James Pawley and Ollie Bridge getting their first touch in early and shifting the ball through the midfield saw Andover on top of possessio. A sharp short corner routine was rewarded when the initial save only fell as far as Sam Goacher who calmly saw the ball home.
Andover seized the dismay in Hambles ranks and continued to pile on the pressure eventually leading Mark Frost to shock the entire pitch with a goal from nowhere.
With the game rapidly escaping Hamble rallied to force the ball forwards and some determined solo play from their forward resulted in a short corner for their efforts. The big hitting centre back gave Connor Baverstock little chance as he found the bottom corner.
Andover stepped up from the restart and a slick display of passing saw Liam O’Sullivan release Hayden Jenkins who had the patience to lead the keeper far from his line before an expert finish on his reverse. Goals from O’Sullivan and Goacher with his second of the game took Andover’s tally to five before Hamble pulled one back from another short corner before the half.
The second half saw discipline tested as the game became more physical from both teams. An altercation between Mark Eggington and the Hamble forward sent both players to the sidelines. Followed by a green card for Jamie Hacker and Hamble seeing their opening to get back in the game scrapped the ball over the line to bring the game back to 5-3. Andover resettled and as numbers returned to the field pushed further forward. George Allmark and Sam Goacher were unlucky not to widen the gap at the other end before Jamie Hacker powered a reverse stick shot through the Hamble keeper.
With ten minutes until the end things looked bright for Andover until Baverstock was judged to have brought down the Hamble striker in the ‘D’ resulting in a penalty stroke and a yellow card. Man of the match George Allmark stepped up the defend penalty with just a facemask and was unlucky to see the ball deflected off with stick into the net.
At 6-4 and with no keeper to beat Hamble rallied to throw everything they had at the weakened Andover goal only to be denied by a exceptional defensive display. Oliver Woolf foiling cross after cross and George Allmark putting his body on the line to deny a shot that looked all but goal bound. Character held out for Andover as they held the frantic Hamble attack at bay and will travel to London’s HAC in search of their third consecutive win.