LOOKING BACK

MARTIN J 16 LOCK 36, 88, GOSNEY 53, 73, COOK (PEN) 66, RUSHER 86, JEFFERY 90

The Andover New Street promotion bandwagon rolled on at Ash but not without over coming some bumps in the opening half, and on their first ever visit to the neat Shawfield Road ground they eventually recorded the same score line as the meeting between the two Clubs earlier in the season.

The Street did not get off to the best of starts when a long ball split the Street defence and Jake Martin coolly slotted the ball past Sean O’Brien to put his side in front. With ten minutes left in the half the scores were level. Cook’s header from a Gosney corner was cleared off the line only for Shane Lock to prod the ball home in the ensuing scramble. A fierce free kick by Martin from the edge of the “D” was well parried by O’Brien and an equally strong effort from Cook at the other end was blocked at danger to life and limb and scrambled clear before all retired for the half time break.

Max Allen replaced Pearson on the re-start and in the opening attack Cook slid the ball home only to be denied, rightfully, by a rather late offside flag. The home side were no doubt hoping to continue in the same vein as the first half but found themselves behind for the first time after just seven minutes when Cook’s through ball allowed Mike Gosney to beat the advancing keeper.

Rusher struck the bar after a neatly worked corner before Gosney returned the compliment with a through ball to Cook who was bought down by Fredericks and the penalty awarded. Happily, the referee deemed that was sufficient punishment and Ross Cook converted the spot kick with his usual aplomb. Martin collected the only caution of the afternoon for a late challenge and then saw the visitors make it four one on the half hour mark as Joe Wright overlapped on the left and the low cross was turned home by Mike Gosney. The scorer then gave way to Mikey Davis and a Cook header was tipped on to the bar by Fredericks before the striker was replaced by Josh Jeffery with Street then adding three further goals in the last six minutes as the home heads dropped.

Lock’s determination set Reece Rusher up for number five before SHANE LOCK himself made it six, cutting in from the left and finding the corner despite Fredericks getting his hands to the ball, before a solo effort by Josh Jeffery made the total seven on the brink of stoppage time.

HAVEN’T WE MET BEFORE? MOMENTS

STREET: O’Brien, Field, James, Pearson (sub Allen 46), Wright, Rusher, Hibberd, Thatcher, Gosney (sub Davis 74), Lock, Cook (sub Jeffery 80) SUBS NOT USED: Wilson, Morris

LEAGUE POSITION 2

COOK 4, 56

WHAT’S THE STORY?

On a sunny day on the Island, Andover New Street ensured second position in the table – their Championship hopes thwarted by Bemerton Heath’s win over Andover Town – but it was a match that had all the elements of an end of season game. surprisingly, given what was at stake.

Street made the better start with two crosses causing danger in the home area and a goal bound shot blocked but after just five minutes the visitors took the lead. A diagonal ball from Reece Rusher found the defender the wrong side of Ross Cook and the striker coolly beat the exposed Woodford in the home goal. A Vics free kick was scrambled clear, and Cook was too high after Cameron Thatcher made the opening but with Ryan Gregory and Ollie West winning the aerial battles, clear cut chances were few.

Street rather wasted a free kick after Shane Lock was bought down just outside the area and the referee stopped play twice in as many minutes when he got in the way of the ball.

At the halfway point Street were forced into a change with Max Allen replacing Adam Pearson and though play was generally scrappy Sean O’Brien in the visiting goal was at full stretch to keep out a Sam Cant drive and Rusher was twice only inches too high at the other end, Vics’s endeavour was keeping them in the game and O’Brien saved well from Connor Lyon.

Lock was denied at close range when he met a Mike Gosney cross and Cook’s fierce drive after he had fastened on to a Lee Morris through ball was deflected behind for a corner, probably to the relief of the goalkeeper. However, the respite was brief as the corner was swung in from the right, keeper Woodford, under no pressure, missed the ball completely and it finished up inside the far post with Ross Cook claiming the last touch. It was very much all New Street now with Rusher hitting the side netting, Thatcher having a shot blocked and a Lock snapshot inches too high. New Street should have scored more, with respect to their opponents, - it was that sort of game - but they did all that was required to take the three points and bring their League Programme to a successful close.

LEAGUE POSITION 2

ATTENDANCE 108

STREET: O’Brien, Field, James (sub Rogers 46), Pearson (sub Allen 18), Morris, Rusher (sub Jeffery 67), Thatcher, Hibberd, Lock, Gosney, Cook SUBS NOT USED: Davis, Tasker