LOOKING BACK

TOTTON & ELING 0-5 STREET

COOK 17, LOCK 24

Street moved in to third place in the table, with a comfortable, almost routine win over Totton and Eling at Millers Park, completing the double over the home side and taking their total of goals scored in the last four League matches to twenty-two.

Street showed their intentions straight from the first whistle with a close-range Chris Flood effort from a Harry Lawton cross saved by keeper Ciaran Hinds and new signing Mike Gosney having a shot cleared off the line. A neat home move was halted by goalkeeper Jordi Wilson saving at Traore’s feet before Gosney just failed to make sufficient contact with a Flood cross at the other end. The pressure was eventually rewarded in the twelfth minute when a Gosney corner from the right was bundled over the line by Harry Lawton despite the close attentions of a home defender. New Street were dominating possession, while having to be wary of Traore’s pace on the break, and after Flood had been crowded out by weight of numbers, they doubled their lead just before the half hour.

Gosney switched to the right flank and pulled the ball back from the by line for Shane Lock to react the quickest and turn the ball past Hinds. The home side escaped when a Flood header from a Joe Wright cross smacked against the underside of the bar, bounced down on the line and into the hands of the grateful goalkeeper, but the visitors were not to be denied and added a third on the stroke of half time. Gosney found space on the left and his low hard driven cross came off a defender’s foot on to his arm, and whilst there was no intention to handle the ball, under the present illogical rules it was a penalty and Chris Flood made no mistake from the spot.

If three nil at the break suggested game over it was surely confirmed within sixty seconds of the re-start when Street added goal number four, Lock cleverly turning the ball in to Mike Gosney’s path and the finish past the advancing goalkeeper was cool and clinical. The home side responded with a break down the right and a chance, with a cross that was rather scuffed into Wilson’s arms by Dominey from close range. Lock had a shot well saved and the hard-working Mikey Davis was too high after being found by Lawson before Flood suffered a similar fate.

Midway through the half it was five as a move involving four or five players ended with Shane Lock collecting his second and the side’s fifth goal, turning Davis’s cross past the overworked Hinds. The scorer then gave way to Ross Cook who immediately was foiled by the goalkeeper’s legs and Wilson had confidently dealt with a dangerous cross. Late on Cook had a free kick that was pushed round the post by Hi d

HAVEN’T WE MET BEFORE? MOMENTS

LEAGUE POSITION 3

ATTENDANCE 87

LAWTON 1, LOCK 10, 12, 15, 43, GOSNEY 21, FLOOD 73 EVANS 39

WHAT’S THE STORY?

Andover New Street entertained in a five-star performance as they scored seven for the third time in five matches.

The game then got away to an explosive start with the home side taking the lead after just thirty-four seconds. Mike Gosney charged down a clearance, his cross was only cleared to the edge of the area and Harry Lawton’s low drive found the corner of the net. Verwood had a much changed and youthful side from their previous visit and were simply swept aside in the opening twenty minutes.

Mikey Davis was denied by a fine save from goalkeeper Adam Lewingray before the second goal came on ten minutes. Joe Wright went from left back to take a corner on the right and Shane Lock, far from the tallest player in the box, rose unchallenged to head the ball almost out of the keeper’s hands and high into the net. Two minutes later it was three as Chris Flood’s persistence took him down the left flank and the low cross was turned home by Shane Lock. Six minutes after he had scored his first goal he completed his hat trick, collecting a through ball and turning the defender before firing past the rather static keeper,

The half’s midway point was marked by goal number five as the visiting defence failed to deal with a through ball and Mike Gosney found the corner of the net with the keeper again seeming flat footed.

Another home corner was cleared and this time to good effect as Erhan Quarchioni’s speed took him into space on the right and his cross provided Diop Evans with a simple tap in to reduce the arrears. There was still time for New Street to make it six before the break as Flood’s clever reverse pass sent Shane Lock away, the defence stood off and a cool finish took the striker’s tally to four.

The Street got a sixth goal when a Gosney corner from the right cleared everybody, only for Wright to cross from the other flank enabling Chris Flood to control the ball and turn in one movement before beating the overworked Lewingray. 25

LEAGUE POSITION 3

ATTENDANCE 209

STREET: Wilson, Field, Scott, Hibberd, Wright, Davis (sub Rusher 58), Lawton (sub Thatcher 63), Rogers (sub Allen 65), Lock, Gosney, Flood SUBS NOT USED: Morris, O’Brien

centre spot

Action from last Saturday’s match with Verwood Town, during our 7-1 win. All eyes are on the ball as a Michael Gosney free kick is put into the Verwood box as the Street put pressure on the Potters defence.