Fareham Town v Andover New Street
Wessex League Premier Division
Match day 44, a twelfth new ground and thirteenth different league of the 24/25 season, saw me make the long journey to the Cams Alder Stadium in Fareham for their Wessex League clash with fellow high flyers Andover New Street. Going into the game Fareham were sitting third in a very competitive league with their visitors just sitting behind in fourth place.
A long journey for me, four trains each way and a travelling time of 5-6 hours and the trip down was completed with barely a blip. My first train was running five minutes late meaning I’d have a minute to change platforms to meet my connection but, for once, the train gods were smiling on me with the connecting train also running late!
I took the 15 minute walk from the station to the ground, reaching the stadium around 1.45pm. Admission is £8 for adults, £4 for concessions and kids go in free. After my customary walk around the ground I popped into the clubhouse for a swift pint of cider which was £4.50 and then moved on to the food hut. They have two, a café at the bottom end of the ground and a smaller kitchen alongside the clubhouse. I had a double cheeseburger at £6.50 which had possibly the best tasting burgers I’ve had so far this season. The burger buns being too small for the size of the burgers would be my only minor issue. Still, they are very good and definitely recommended!
Before the game there was a minute’s silence to pay respect to two recently departed people close to the club which was impeccably observed.
The game then kicked off in the way the game would continue, both sides playing nice passing football and the ball flowing nicely from end to end. In just the fifth minute the visitors took the lead. A great run from halfway by Jake Carswell took him past several Fareham players and into the area where the ball was finally nicked away from him, falling to Lewis Williams who controlled, spun and fired past Dec McCarthy, just squeezing it in at the near post. 0-1
The Creeksiders had an opportunity to get straight back into it moments later when a cross from the right picked out Stan Bridgman on his own in the area but his header went straight into the arms of Street keeper Matty Fredericks.
Fareham continued to force the pace and after Connor Underhill had been fouled on the left corner of the box, Stan Bridgman sent a curling cross towards the far post where Fredericks managed to get a good punch on it to clear.
Underhill then broke free down the left and went down on the edge of the area from a challenge. The referee blew for a free kick but not the way everyone expected and Underhill was booked for simulation. An interesting take from the official…
At the other end Williams had a half chance after a quick break down the left, he managed to get a header in on Claudio Herbert’s cross but it was always spinning wide of the far post and McCarthy in the home goal watched it out.
Fareham continued their siege of the Andover goal in the last 15 minutes of the half and I’ve no idea how they didn’t score. Another good run down the left by Underhill took him to the byline where he pulled the ball back to the edge of the area. This was touched on twice before finding Elliot Holmes in space 30 yards out who fired a shot goalwards only to see Fredericks dive full length to palm the ball away.
Next Stan Bridgman picked up a loose ball in midfield and played a lovely ball inside the full back for Underhill to run onto. He cut back inside the box and hit a shot low through the legs of the defender which seemed destined for the far corner but hit the post and the keeper and defender somehow managed to keep the ball out and clear. There were shouts that the ball was over the line but neither of the officials gave anything so play went on.
Another chance came and went for the hosts when Alfie Bridgman fired a shot form distance only to see it cannon off the crossbar and away to safety.
Alfie Bridgman again had a chance, twisting and turning in the box before getting a shot away which was blocked superbly by the legs of Fredericks. At the other end a throw from the right was picked up by Williams, he drifted inside two defenders before firing just over from the corner of the box.
H-T: Fareham Town 0 Andover New Street 1
After an action packed first half, the second kicked off in exactly the same vein as the two sides traded shots off the woodwork. First, for the hosts, Josh Benfield tried a curler from the edge of the box which came back off the crossbar, closely followed at the other end by a sweetly struck effort from Callum Sweeney which also hit the woodwork, the rebound falling to Herbert under pressure inside the six yard box and his header was pushed away well by McCarthy.
A great diagonal ball crossfield by Dan Bennett found Alfie Bridgman in space down the right flank, he cut inside and got a shot away which was well blocked. The resulting corner was swung to the far post where it has headed narrowly over.
The game then switched into a quieter phase, with the home side passing the ball around probing to try to find an opening while the visitors were content to hold the advantage they had, defend deeper and hit Fareham on the break.
The hosts did think they’d levelled when a shot from distance was saved well by Fredericks low to his right with the rebound being put into the net but the linesman’s flag was already raised on the sidelines and the goal disallowed.
In added time Andover had a chance to wrap it up when Jake Rawkins found himself in space in the box but McCarthy pulled off a smart save. The hosts had one final chance in the fifth minute of added time when they were awarded a free kick midway in the Andover half on the left. McCarthy made the long run from his own box to join the attack but the cross in was a poor one and was cleared easily on the edge of the box.
F-T: Fareham Town 0 Andover New Street 1
Att: 363
A very entertaining game between two good footballing sides in which Fareham did everything but score and Andover New Street defended really well and, at times especially at the end of the first half, rode their luck a little!
Thanks to Fareham for their hospitality and I wish both sides all the best for the rest of the season!