Andover New Street v Downton - E Programme 2022-23

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CLUB OFFICIALS

President: Nick Richmond

Vice President: Brian Funnel

Chairman: Martin Tobin

Football Chairman: John Ward

Executive Committee Members: Paul Reidy, Steve Cox, Fiona Tobin, Ady Burdock, Kevin Pipkin, Amanda Cox, Les Hillon, George Harrison, Andy Welfare

First Team Manager: Jamie Coleman

First Team Assistant Manager: Ashleigh James

First Team Coach: Jamie Dockree

Head Of Goalkeeping: Alex Thompson

Head Of Medical: Pete Tunney

Physiotherapist: Josh Oatly

Kit Man: Ken Hardy

Club Secretary: Kerry Tobin

House Chairman: Jim Wilson

Treasurer: Amanda Cox

Membership Officer: Kerry Tobin

Swifts Chairman: Paul Reidy

Swifts Secretary: Stephen Leighton

Swifts Manager: Robbie Skeates

Swifts Assistant Managers: Stephen

Leighton & Ryan Facey

Ladies Manager: Kyla Tobin

Sponsorship Chairman: Paul Reidy

Media Manager: Kevin Pipkin

Website Designer: Chris Robins

Made in Andover.

Edited by Kevin Pipkin (programme.editor.andovernewstreetfc@outlook.com)

Photography by Andy Ormerod & Kevin Pipkin

Thanks to contributors: John Ward, Jamie Coleman, John Gorman, Neil Jensen and Sam Emery.

The

THE MANAGER

Good evening and a very warm welcome to Foxcotte Park to all our supporters for tonight’s game against our visitor’s Downton.

I’d like to welcome the Robin’s manager Ben Smith, his management team and staff, players and all officials and supporters who have made the journey along the A303 to Andover this evening.

Downton are a side like us that have been pushing for promotion over the past few seasons, without success, but they will be looking to certainly make the play-off places this season, having fallen just short last season.

This season they made an impressive start with wins over New Milton Town and Folland Sports in early August but then have lost both their league matches with a strong Newport IOW and also lost out in the return matches with both the Planemakers and the Linnets. The Robins come into the game fresh on the back of a 0-0 draw with Verwood Town and a 2-1 win over Ringwood Town on Saturday

We come into the game having continued our impressive unbeaten run in the league into the new year with victory over league leaders New Milton Town. I thought the game with the Linnets was a good advert for the Wessex League. Both sides went for it in difficult conditions.

I’m not being biased when I say my team were magnificent, and so were you in the stands. We showed great character to weather the New Milton attacks in the first half and scored a great goal from a Mikey Davis corner that beat the keeper and gave Scott Hassell the easiest of headers to give us the lead.

In the second half, we showed the attacking prowess we have as we grew stronger and just when it looked as though we would hold on to a 1 -0 win, Cooky broke through to make certain of the points

On Saturday we picked up an important 3 points with a win over Romsey Town. We had to remain patient to get the crucial 2nd goal but were very dominant in the game and created plenty of scoring chances, but found the Romsey keeper in good form.

Please keep up the vocal support for the lads as we start to enter the business end of the season

Enjoy the game.

ON SATURDAY WE PICKED UP AN IMPORTANT 3 POINTS WITH A WIN OVER ROMSEY TOWN. WE HAD TO REMAIN PATIENT TO GET THE CRUCIAL 2ND GOAL BUT WERE VERY DOMINANT IN THE GAME AND CREATED PLENTY OF SCORING CHANCES, BUT FOUND THE ROMSEY KEEPER IN GOOD FORM.

FACT FILE

NICKNAME: The Robins

STADIUM: Brian Whitehead Sports Ground

CAPACITY: 2,000

LEAGUE POSITION 21-22: 7th Wessex League One

MANAGER: Ben Smith

MILES FROM ANDOVER: 25 miles

LAST MEETING: Brian Whitehead, 30/11/22, 3-0 in League Cup

Andover New Street::

O’Brien, Field, Morris, Alderman, Pearson,? Thatcher, Lawton, Rusher, Davis, Lock, Phillipsk

THE FOXCOTTE

LAST TIME AT STREET 2 ROBINS 0

2nd November 2021, Wessex League 1

Words: John Gorman

The Street came into the game on the back of their impressive FA Vase win at Cribbs and a disappointing 3-3 draw with Millbrook, who had equalised through a 90th minute penalty after the Street looked to have won the game after coming from behind twice.

A tough mid-week fixture came next against a Downton side that had beaten the Street a month earlier in the League Cup through a Sam Howe free kick.

Downton started the better and an early cross found no takers in the area before Cameron Butler saw a shot saved after a corner, one of three corners in quick succession as the visitors’ pace on both flanks caused the home defence problems. Home keeper Sean O’Brien was forced into a hasty clearance that fell to Shaun Prentice, but his first time shot went over a unguarded goal.

Darryl Phillips found Reece Rusher in space only for his shot to be parried by Matt Fredericks and two more efforts from the same player were inches too high. The home side were now having more of the game, though it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous, but too often their final pass went astray.

Downton::

Fredericks, Macki, Howe, Moss, Ovington,? Clarke, Clark, Smith, Laptas, Butler, Prenticek

A brave block by Alderman stopped one goal bound shot and in a scramble another shot appeared to strike the post – a crowded area made sighting difficult – and the half-finished all square and had done little to raise the temperature on a cold but still evening.

There was a brighter start to the second half with an early chance for Shane Lock, but the shot was the wrong side of the post and a chance missed for Downton after the referee had allowed a good advantage, Prentice shooting wide with only O’Brien to beat.

Adam Pearson had a header from a corner at the other end came back off the bar before the deadlock was broken with little more than ten minutes left. Lock showed fine control in collecting a long clearance on the tight and his low cross from the bye line was nearly turned past Fredericks by Mikey Davis at the far post. O’Brien went down bravely to save at Marcel Laptas’s feet as Downton sought the equaliser but with the clock ticking towards stoppage time New Street made the game safe. Alderman carried the ball forward before finding Davis on the left and his shot went between the keeper and his near post to give the home side the points.

THE GOALKEEPER: WILL BETTS

Betts has been with the Robins for three seasons, joining Downton in the 2018 -19 season and making 3 appearances.

He made just one appearance last season but has established himself as the Robins number one and has made 18 appearances to date this season.

THE DEFENDER: JAMES CLARK

Started with the Robins in 2018, Clark is a reliable defender and has made 113 appearances for the club over the past five seasons.

He has made 23 appearances so far this season, with just 1 coming off the bench.

THE MANAGER: BEN SMITH

The player-manager has been at the club for over 10 seasons now and has made over 270 appearances for the Robins in his time there and has scored 56 goals for the club.

Ben joined Downton from local rivals Laverstock & Ford in February 2009 and made his debut in the 1-0 win at home to AFC Aldermaston. Smith took over the managerial position in May 2017 and guided the club into 12th position in the 2017 -18 season. This was followed with a 7th place finish the following season.

Currently in 5th position, the Robins will be hoping for a play-off place this season.

ON THE RADAR: DOWNTON

THE MIDFIELDER: LEON CARBAYO-BORGES

Borges, signed for the Robins in September last year from Millbrook.

Borges started with Brockenhurst, where he found it difficult in obtaining a regular starting place and made nearly 50 percent of his 104 appearances for the Badgers off the bench. He joined Millbrook at the start of this season but moved after just 6 appearances.

WATCH

OUT FOR…

OLIVER DAVIES

Initially started with Verwood Town in 2018 and made 32 appearances in his debut season, scoring 9 times. The following season saw another 23 appearances and 8 goals before moving to Bemerton Heath Harlequins

Limited appearances at Moon Park saw Davies move back to Verwood and in the 2021- 22 season he scored an impressive 20 goals in just 26 appearances before moving to the Robins, where he continued his rich vein of scoring with 12 goals in 11 appearances. He is joint top scorer this season with 16 from 24 appearances.

THE STRIKER:

KRZYSICK KRYSZTOFOWICZ

Summer signing from QK Club, where he had been prolific in front of goal for a number of seasons.

Krysztofowicz is the joint top scorer for the Robins, along with Oliver Davies on 16 goals.

MEMORY MATCH

Street 2 Downton 1, Wessex League One, 19th December 2020

WORDS: JOHN GORMAN

STREET:

O’Brien, Field, Wright, Hibberd, Scott, Dempsey, Lock, Dockree, Harding, Davis, Thompson

DOWNTON:

Taylor, Palmer, Howe, Hassle, Smith, McGregor, Starr, Water, Moseley, Mann, Vint

The Street were poised for an instant return to the Wessex Premier following their one season stay in the Wessex top division in the 2018-19 season.

The “promotion” word looked very much on the cards for Street, especially when they embarked on a 12-match winning run, starting with a 3- 2 victory against Newport, which put them into second place behind leaders United Services Portsmouth but with a number of games in hand.

Unfortunately, the 2019-20 season would be abandoned in mid-March with around 10 matches remaining, due to the

global pandemic.

Lockdown gradually ended and the Street would be able to start to prepare for the new season, which would start a month later in September.

A new looking management setup was introduced with Jamie Coleman and Danny Dolan joining forces in the dugout, while John Smith and Iain Meechan, would have the opportunity to help all the club’s sides in their new Director of Football roles.

Pre-season would see the majority of the squad remain and were boosted with impressive signings of striker Brett Denham, midfielder’s Scott Kinge and Connor Thorne, defenders Danny Field and Gary Thorne and also goalkeeper Sean O’Brien

Although pre-season matches are viewed as an opportunity to get minutes under the players belts, the Street were worryingly not performing to the best of their ability with some Jekyll and Hyde performances, when playing against the likes of Salisbury, Eastleigh Development Squad and Basingstoke Town.

The season would start brightly for Street with an impressive 2-0 victory away at Newport IOW with Ally McCracken and Shane Lock both scoring.

A disappointing home defeat to Petersfield Town came next, with Kinge scoring an own goal late on to give the Rams the 3 points.

Early cup exits at Bashley, and New Milton hardly lightened the mood before Totton & Eling were defeated at Foxcotte Park, with Denham scoring a brace and Mikey Davis scoring a worldie on his debut.

A disappointing 5- 2 defeat at Andover Town, with the Street 2- 0 up at half-time and tough 1-1 draws to Hythe & Dibden and at Downton meant the Street were always playing catch-up to the promotion challengers.

Home defeats continued with losses to Alton and Romsey Town but a 1-0 win over neighbours Whitchurch gave Street a boost with Lock scoring the only goal early on.

After a 3- 1 away defeat to leaders Laverstock & Ford, the Street took on Downton in what can only be described as a highly entertaining game of football.

The Street opened the scoring thanks to some silky magic down the left-hand side from number seven Shane Lock. The Street forward, approached the Downton defence producing a ‘Ronaldo like’ step-over that left the Downton defence stranded. Lock then put the ball on a plate for Street number nine, Craig Harding, who fired the ball passed Downton keeper, Taylor.

Harding and Lock seemed to have a telepathic understanding of each other playing some magical football between them. The second goal for Street started when Harding’s deft first touch created space for him to deliver the perfect pass for Shane Lock, whose delicate chip over the flailing Taylor sailed beautifully into the back of the net.

Going into half time, Street were two goals ahead and looking very comfortable.

As the second half got under way, Shane Lock was attacking the Downton defence once more and he almost scored his second.

It was some solid defence from Downton that stopped his left footed strike from converting.

From this point onwards, Downton seemed to pull their socks up and put tremendous pressure on New Street.

In the 58th minute, a whipped in cross from the left led to a first- time finish from Downton number nine, Moseley, beating Street goalkeeper Sean O’Brien with ease.

However, as the rain began to pour and the flood lights lit up Foxcotte Park, Street held onto their lead and came away with a much-needed victory.

Craig Harding deservedly took the man of the match award. His first touch was exquisite all afternoon. Shane Lock wasn’t far behind in terms of his outstanding performance.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for the Street, the season would end there without another ball being kicked as the country would be put back into lockdown with immediate effect, which would mean the season was declared null and void

Craig Harding celebrates the opening goal with Mikey Davis and Lloyd Thompson.

THE CAMERA NEVER LIES

Action from our home match against Romsey Town last Saturday. The Street were made to fight for the 3 points, thanks to goals from Ross Cook and Shane Lock. Pictured is a Street effort in the first half that was cleared off the line, following a Street corner.

STREET

WITH LIAM HIBBERD

A –

ATHLETE

If you had to compete, what event would you do?

Javelin.

B

–

BOOTS

Favourite pair of boots?

Adidas Predator (old version)

C – CAR

Dream car?

Range Rover.

D

–

DESTINATION

Dream destination?

Iceland

E – EAT

Favourite food?

Lamb shank.

F – FIVE

What is your all-time Five-a-side team?

Peter Schmeichel, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo.

G – GUESTS

Celebrity you’d like to have a drink with?

David Beckham.

H – HOBBIES

Favourite thing to do other than football?

Golf.

I – IDOL

Who is your sporting idol?

David Beckham.

J – JOB

What is your full-time profession?

Operations Director

K – KIT

Favourite all-time football shirt?

1994 Manchester Utd Away.

L – LANGUAGES

How many languages can you speak?

One - English.

M – MOMENT

Favourite moment of your career so far?

Winning Southampton Senior Cup.

N – NOTABLE

Who is the most important contact in your phone? Dad.

O

–

OPPOSITION

Hardest opponent?

Andreas Weimann.

P

–

PIZZA TOPPINGS

What toppings would You choose?

Margarita (boring I know).

Q

–

QUOTE

Favourite quote?

You only live once.

R

–

RESTAURANT

Favourite restaurant?

Nando’s

S

–

T

–

TRAVEL

Best place you’ve been to?

Hong Kong.

U

–

UNLIMITED

If you could have endless Something, what would it be? Money.

V

–

VICTORY

Most memorable win?

Southampton Senior Cup Final

W

– WATCH

Favourite film/series?

Peaky Blinders.

X

–

X FACTOR

If you had to sing, what song would you choose?

I Want it that Way – Backstreet Boys.

Y

–

STADIUM

Favourite stadium you’ve Played at?

St Mary’s.

YIKES

Biggest fear?

Spiders

Z – ZOO

Favourite animal?

Penguin.

THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER WITH JON COUCH – NLP REPORTER

As part of our extensive coverage of the National League in The NonLeague Paper, we include a statistics box, detailing significant moments of a game to give you, the reader, some kind of idea as to how the end result was determined.

Shots on target, Shots off target, Corners, Offsides, Free-Kicks Conceded, Yellow Cards and Red Cards are the seven categories featured and, when collaborated, usually offers a relatively accurate reflection and insight into the balance of play.

The key word in the above paragraph, however, is usually' as, quite often, this is not the case. In fact, it can also portray the exact opposite. Take my team, Ipswich Town, for example. Now, under manager Kieran McKenna this season, Ipswich are League One's stats kings. Top of the possession charts, most passes completed, and chances created, they own the lot. However, there is one quite important stat that Ipswich do not top, the points column. Defeat at Oxford United on Saturday left them third in the table, 10 points behind leaders Plymouth Argyle and seven adrift of second placed Sheffield Wednesday.

Indeed, in one game, at home to Lincoln City on October 15, the Tractor Boys enjoyed 76.7% possession and had 33 shots to Lincoln's three. They lost 1-0 to a goal from former Eastleigh striker Ben House.

To modern-day managers like McKenna – the Football League's youngest boss at the age of 35 –data analysis has become a vital part of their make-up. The philosophy of possession based football, building from the back and 'putting numbers on the board' is seen as key to producing an attractive brand of football. Call me old school, but I would suggest that the best brand of football is winning football and traits such as wingers booming long, high crosses into the box for a good old-fashioned centre forward to power into the net will always prevail.

My favourite thing right now is 'Expected Goals' and 'Expected Assists' (or xG and xA as they are called). This is a new revolutionary football metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal or a pass that will lead to a goal. According to their descriptions, the xG model uses historical information from thousands of shots with similar characteristics to estimate the likelihood of a goal on a scale between 0 and 1. For assists, it considers several factors including the type of pass, pass end-point and length of pass that leads to a goal.

Thankfully, Non-League football is that bit purer so such factors don't come into play. 'Expected Goals and Expected Assists' will have precious little bearing on the North West Counties League, for instance. The only stat that really matters is the one stated in the scorebox –and The NLP highlights that quite prominently too.

THE NLP PAPER

H Laverstock & Ford

SYDENHAMS WESSEX PREMIER

AFC Stoneham v Hamworthy United

Alresford Town v US Portsmouth Alton v Christchurch

Bournemouth v Baffins Milton Rovers

Brockenhurst v Cowes Sports

Fareham Town v Bashley

Hamble Club v Shaftesbury

Horndean v Amesbury Town

Hythe & Dibden v Portland Utd

Moneyfields v Blackfield & Langley

SYDENHAMS WESSEX LEAGUE ONE

Andover New Street v Infinity

Ash United v New Milton Town

East Cowes Vic v Andover Town

Laverstock & Ford v Fleet Spurs

Petersfield Town v Newport IOW

Ringwood Town v Downton

Romsey Town v Bemerton Heath H

Verwood Town v Whitchurch United

Andover New Street Football Club’s commitment is to promote inclusion and to confront and eliminate discrimination, whether by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief. People can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual worth are respected, and in particular that they are able to work and watch football in an environment without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment, bullying and abuse. Should you wish to report a specific incident, please contact your nearest club official or download Kick It Out’s free, confidential reporting app on the App Store or Google Play.

THE WESSEX LEAGUE PREVIEW

The top game in Division One was at Smallbrook where second met first in the table and an early George Deem goal gave New Milton the three points and a return to the top of the table.

Andover New Street and Petersfield both remain in contention after home victories. Street defeated Romsey 2-0 thanks to Ross Cook and Shane Lock whilst Petersfield overcame Amesbury by five goals to one. The nap hand came from Archie Greenough with two, Oli Davies, Zak Sharp and Mino Djaura while Morgan Harvey scored the visitors consolation.

Downton are also in the promotion shake up and after Harry Smith had given Ringwood the lead, goals from Kris Krystofowicz and Cam Butler gave the home side the points.

Hamworthy Recreation were a goal down to an Alex Charlick goal for Whitchurch United at half time but two goals from Jack Satterley (one a penalty) and one from Ash Boyt eventually ensured a 3-1 victory.

Cam Stone and Jamie Wrapson gave Fleetlands a 2 -0 win over Fleet Spurs

while for the second week running Millbrook came ou t best in a high scoring game, beating Fawley 4- 3 at Test Park. Leon Longhurst, James Whitlock, Lewis Colvin and Yakub Ayuba scored the home goals with Fawley’s three coming from Dylan Knight with two and Dec Hartigan. Follands have hit a bad patch and went down again as East Cowes Vics won for the third match in a row and greatly improved their position in the lower half of the table. Liam Newbold and Harrison Taylor scored the Vics goals Maciej Marcinkowski the Planemakers marksman. Andover Town’s away form still differs greatly from their home showings and they went down 2-0 to goals from Brenno Narezzi and Ashton Goodger at Totton & Eling. Lastly Ash United claimed three welcome points with victory over Verwood at home by two goals to one with the home goals credited to George Amara and Kareem Foster and the visitors to Joe Smith.

Mr. A Biddulph

Miss. A Godfrey

Streets’ last team

Goals: Cook (35’), Lock (83’)

Subs: Dockree for Lawton (46’)

Moore A for Davis (55’)

Scott for Perrett (75’)

Lawton (9’), Beckley (24’) None

Robin’s last team

Goals: Krysztofowicz (9’), Butler (30’)