Full Report. Andover v Uxbridge.  Three goals, three points - and a clean sheet

Dean Stow LOCAL Supporters Man of the Match

Andover 3 Ben Wright Dean Stow 2 (1 pen)

Uxbridge 0

The temperature at the Portway last night was not as low weather-wise as was initially feared but even so those watching with the interests of the Lions at heart were surely warmed by the events of the evening. After the disappointment of Saturday's defeat by Bracknell this was as good a display as we have seen all season - probably matched only by the League win at Didcot - and on the night it was a good side that were beaten. Saturday's loss at Abingdon coupled with last night's defeat leaves Uxbridge outside the play-off places but it would be a brave man who would back against them regaining a promotion chance by the season's end. And all this in what was Andover's 1000th Southern League fixture in their history. Nice to mark such an august achievement with such an outstanding victory and a chance to move away from the dreaded relegation zone.

Lions showed three changes from Saturday in the starting line-up with Dean Stow and new boy Jamie Laidlaw coming in for the injured Glen Damen and unavailable Adam Heath, Craig Martin returning to the fold in place of the departed Shaun Kerridge, whilst the second of our recent signings, Russ Hardwell, found a place on the bench. In front of what looked to be a rather sparse crowd but was not in fact too far removed from recent attendances, the visitors made the first break with a cross from Dickens that was only just too high for the incoming Pritchard before a cross from Brynley McKie at the other end was sliced past his own post by Shipperley. Bill MaClaren used to politely describe some rugby forwards as "built like brick outhouses" and that description more than suited the aforesaid Shipperley, an absolute mountain of a man but no mean defender for all that. Turvey, operating again wide on the left, cut inside to force a save from Bullivant and Dean Stow forced his way through two tackles into the area only for Bullivant to go down at his feet and smother the ball. Credit to the Lions midfielder for staying upright for neither of the challenges was straightforward and it would have been interesting to see the outcome had he gone down. This with only ten minutes gone and sixty seconds later Stow was involved again, this time with more success. Played through by a clever pass from Laidlaw, he was sent tumbling on the edge of the box by Shipperley and from my viewpoint, albeit not directly in line, it looked inside the area. The referee, from behind the challenge, could not see the line, looks at his assistant appeared to bring no response either for or against the penalty, so the end result was a free kick on the edge of the box and a booking for Shipperley who then rather had salt rubbed in his wounds when Ben Wright's free kick went either through or round the defensive wall to finish low in the corner of the net. The two most experienced members of the Uxbridge side then combined well but Nicholls's brilliant through ball was rather wasted by Roach before the Lions came back with ex-Basingstoke keeper Bullivant hanging on to Turvey's shot at the second attempt. This was part of a spell of Lions pressure but after Nicholls had enjoyed his first lengthy conversation of the evening with referee Wheeler he then turned on his football talents to pull the visitors back into the game, twice endangering the home defence with crosses, and then providing another that bounced awkwardly for Ben Buckland giving a shooting chance to Boyce but David Hook was equal to the occasion. Kevin Warner collected the second caution of the evening for bringing down Stow before the midfielder sent Wright away on the left but the task of getting around or past Shipperley proved too much and the ball cannoned away to safety. But the Lions midfielder, revelling in a start after a spell on the bench, was not to be denied and with some two minutes of the half remaining exchanged passes with Laidlaw and lifted the ball past the advancing Bullivant meaning the Lions could enjoy their half time tea with the perhaps cushion of a two goal lead rather than the always uncertain single goal advantage. This however was only ensured at the death by Hook reacting very quickly to foil Roach after a speculative hack upfield by Pritchard found the striker in space.

Uxbridge, obviously fired up by their Management team (never the quietest!) at the break were rapidly into their stride with Hook palming away a dangerous cross from Thomas and when Nicholls made one of his better marks on the game again Warner was wasteful with the shot. A Laidlaw break relieved the pressure but Stow was too high and when the visitors came back and Craig Martin was penalised on the edge of the area, Nicholls fired the free kick straight into the wall and in the ensuing scramble Buckland headed a deflected Roach shot off the line. The big striker, with his experience, always looked a threat when on the ball but often seemed to lack support from his colleagues though his seeming unwillingness to pass the ball may have contributed to that. Nicholls, to whom frustration comes easily and naturally, was not enjoying Bobby Swayne's attentions in midfield but his booking for a challenge on the Andover player was harsh though it no doubt made a change from what must be an almost customary booking for dissent. Owen Elias, looking more in touch with the pace of the game in the middle of the defence alongside the ever-consistent Matt Davies than in midfield, seemed to win the ball fairly but was penalised and Roach turned sharply upon the quickly taken free kick only to see his shot superbly tipped over the bar by Hook. Just another of the saves seemingly now taken for granted from the popular keeper. He then saved well again from a Warner header before the inimitable Stow appeared at the other end with a shot into the side netting but the midfielder's next foray ended with a tumble over an outstretched leg and he was quickly up to slot home the resultant penalty to put the Lions three up with less than twenty minutes remaining. It did appear to me, though not from the closest of range, that it was Nicholls who conceded the spot kick and if that were the case he was lucky to escape further censure though he did not appear to be in danger of being classed as "last defender". The referee then broke up the perpetual chorus emanating from the visiting bench by dismissing one of the duo to the upper reaches of the stand and new boy Hardwell came on for McKie, after another pleasing contribution from the youngster who, like Turvey, lacks nothing in skill and is slowly adapting to the pace of the game. It must be said however that running up and down the spaces of the Portway must be kids play compared with tackling the slopes of Horndean's pitch on a weekly basis. Joe Bye came on for Turvey, Nicholls, such a gifted footballer but such a flawed temperament, was still moaning and Laidlaw, who had worked hard all evening without getting a decent sight on goal, suddenly showed his potency with a hooked shot past the far post that Bullivant was far from reaching. Hardwell displayed neat control but the shot was too high before the home side suffered two cautions in as many minutes, Stow for delaying a free kick - claims that the ball was played at him did not really wash - and Bye for an unnecessary challenge by the corner flag. From the resulting freekick for the latter Shipperley lumbered the length of the field to send a header only just over Hook's crossbar before lumbering back to acquaint himself with Steve Boston, similar height, much less weight, who replaced Wright for the last seven or eight minutes. But there was to be no further threat to either goal and the home side claimed three welcome, certainly deserved but perhaps surprising, points and should now go into Saturday's game at Taunton in good heart.

This was an all-round performance from the Lions that built on the first half on Saturday and made the second half in that game even harder to understand and it was a performance in which all played their parts. Hook was his usual self - no greater praise - and must be delighted at everything coming together for a clean sheet at last, Elias and Davies restricted the powerful and dangerous Roach to just one chance whilst Martin, delighted to be back at the Portway, and Buckland held their own on the flanks. Bobby Swayne covered acres of ground in midfield whilst adopting the Damen tactic of tackling everything that moved and provided a perfect foil on the evening for Stow as the Basingstoke based midfielder's skill, passing and two goals deservedly gained him the LOCAL Man of the Match award. Up front Wright and Laidlaw both worked ceaselessly throughout with a threat of goal from either whilst Turvey and McKie's abilities to run at defenders with the ball become more marked game by game. But Mick was right to stress the need for consistency. We had good results at Farnborough and at home to Abingdon - but Marlow and Bracknell saw performances not at the same level. But that takes nothing away from a very good evening and a very good result.

Team: Hook: Martin, Davies, Elias and Buckland: McKie, Stow, Bobby Swayne and Turvey: Wright and Laidlaw.

Subs: Anderson, Bye, Roberts, Hardwell and Boston.

Match Report by John Gorman

Match reports may not be copied or adapted without the permission of Andover Football Club