Ringwood Town 2 v Andover New Street 1
Sydenhams Wessex Division One

Saturday, August 21st 2010 K.O 3.00pm
Attendance 52

Andover New Street arrived at Long lane having no points from their first three games having conceded 14 goals while finding the net themselves just once. They debuted two strikers signed from Andover midweek with an attempt to turn their season around quickly but went down 2-1 to a stubborn Ringwood side determined to remain one of the last three unbeaten sides in the entire Wessex League and the only one in this division.

As a spectacle, his was a scrappy game played in with a swirling wind that didn’t help matters and it was the visitors who started the brighter and went ahead through a penalty scored by Vince Rusher on 5 minutes awarded rather harshly when the ball bounced up and stuck Nick Howes’ hand in the box. The Ringwood back four took a very high line and the speed of debutee’s Rusher and Danny Sullivan caused a few heart stopping moments throughout the first half. On 15 minutes from a corner, Aaron Sexton headed a shot from Sullivan off his own goalline with Page well beaten to keep Ringwood in the game, as New Street continued to threaten. But Ringwood bounced back and a few minutes later Paul Burnett fired just wide from a break down the home sides left.

Charlie Pierson levelled the score at 1-1 on 20 minutes turning in a header at the far post from a corner and the home side were back in it. Two minutes later and it was Pierson again with his head first to the ball from another Ringwood corner but this time it sailed just wide. Andover’s reply was immediate and Page was caught lead-footed by a quick break and shot from Rusher that smashed of the upright.

Ringwood continued to live dangerously. On 29 minutes, Rusher hit the Ringwood goal frame again, direct from a 35 yard free kick that bounced off the corner of the crossbar, and on 34 minutes, Page tipped a 20 yard shot from Ryan Davis over his bar for a corner. Having again weathered the storm Ringwood pushed forward through Aaron Sexton on the right wing. On 37 minutes, he supplied a cross that brought a fire save from Dave Tasker in the Street goal to deny Paul Burnett and a minute later fired in another that Tasker brushed away from the marauding Burnett only for Fleet to head over the bar. In the last two minutes of the half, Burnett was again denied by Tasker from 8 yards out and Sean Leadbetter fired one shot wide and had header go over the bar.

Half –time 1-1

Ringwood ended the first half dominant and held more of the upper hand for most of the second period. On 72 minutes Pete Old had a shot tipped over the bar for a corner from which Tasker saved a point blank shot from Carl Fleet, the game winner was definitely on the cards and just four minutes later Pete Old again supplied a cross through a crowded 6 yard box that Sean Leadbetter headed home at the far post . Two minutes later and Dan Moreel almost made it 3-1 arriving just inches late at the far post to connect with a 30 yard free kick. Ringwood empted the subs bench to hang on to the lead against a late revival by Andover but the day was theirs with a 2-1 victory.