Andover 2-1 Eastleigh

ANDOVER v EASTLEIGH



THURSDAY 12th FEBRUARY 2009
Hampshire Senior Cup

Report by Ray Murphy

The matchday programme had reminded Eastleigh that on five previous cup encounters between the two sides, Andover had won all of them. It was unfortunate then for Eastleigh that their interest in this season's Hampshire Senior Cup came to an abrupt end at the Quarter Final stage thus making that statistic now six cup games. Having already lost to lower league opposition in the FA Cup and FA Trophy to Burgess Hill and Bashley; manager Ian Baird reminded his side before the game that they must be in the right frame of mind.

Though not their strongest line up Eastleigh by far had the better of the play though the home side created some clear-cut chances. Andover themselves were not what they considered to be at full strength with both Ben Buckland and Nick Eastham already cup tied and Rory Williams suspended. Eastleigh themselves had Brett Williams cup tied whilst both Andy Harris and Andy Forbes are injured but despite that the rest of the squad was available for inclusion.

Gareth Howells making only his fourth competitive start of the season in the Eastleigh goal was quickly into action coming out to collect a ball off the feet of Mike Turvey from Lloyd Webber's through pass. Eastleigh though took control for a long period following. Ashley Carew had a low shot saved by Stacy Harper in the second minute then Harper was in action again six minutes later to deny a Jamie Brown shot. Joe Maxwell was also close with a shot on the turn. Carew had another run at the defence and a shot saved by Harper.

Eastleigh did have a scare in the eleventh minute. James Roden's free kick was headed back across goal by Alex Ward, Bobby Swayne's goalbound header was then cleared away off the line by skipper Warren Goodhind covering for the beaten Howells. Andover suffered another blow on twenty-one minutes with leading goalscorer Ashley Jarvis limping away from the action with a hamstring injury.

As the half time interval approached, Carew again this time cutting in from the right fired a left foot shot just off target whilst Howells saved Webber's long-range shot.

The second half was only two minutes old when Eastleigh opened the scoring. Having defended an Andover free kick Peter Adeniyi collected the ball and strode majestically through a static Andover defence before slipping the ball past Harper and into the net.

The home side took a little time to settle after the set back, three minutes after the goal Harper had to hold a header backwards from Bobby Swayne to prevent Eastleigh from doubling their lead. There was a flurry of substitutions; Andover changed their style to playing two strikers in lieu of their normal lone system. On seventy-one minutes a foray forward from Andover paid dividends.

Roden's long ball caused a misunderstanding between Howells and Aaron Martin with a defensive header falling kindly for Turvey to guide the ball over the Eastleigh defensive line and into the net for an equaliser. Immediately Andover returned to the attack and Howells did well to prevent both Ward and Turvey from putting Andover ahead.

With seventy-five minutes played Ward threaded a ball through for Phil Andrews who was manhandled by Neil Sharp some twenty-five yards from goal. Sharp escaped with a yellow card and substitute Kyle Swayne guided a free kick over the Eastleigh wall and past the flat-footed Howells to this time give Andover the lead.

Anthony Riviere had a low shot saved by Harper and then Tom Jordan was thrown into the action as an extra striker as Eastleigh strived to save the game but the final best two attempts of the evening both fell to Andover and Andrews and Stuart Gates with both attempts saved by Howells.