North Hants Senior Cup - Round 1
Alresford Town 7, Andover New Str 1
SATURDAY's first round cup tie against fellow Wessex 2 side New Street was virtually over by half-time - Alresford led 4-nil in the first 45 minutes and could have had more.
New Street only had the bare 11 in their squad, and Alresford opened the scoring after Phil Anderson had closed down a defender. The ball broke free and a mix-up between the visitors' keeper and another defender allowed 'Joe' Kearney to tuck the ball into the net.
On 15 minutes Ryan Doyle broke down the left and his cross was only half cleared to Anderson, who duly despatched the ball into the bottom corner.
Alresford increased their lead after 30 minutes when a kick by Dave Witcher in the home goal was mis-controlled by a defender, enabling Joel Matthews to beat the keeper in a one-on-one. Five minutes later Sherwin fed Doyle, who cut in from the left and scored from a narrow angle.
The Andover side reduced the deficit early in the second half when Elliott Grocott latched onto a through ball and finished clinically. It took a fine tackle by Phil Curtis to deny Casson Spencer a chance of a second, and for the next twenty minutes New Street had the majority of possession.
With twenty minutes to go Alresford began to play as they had in the first half, and their pressure was rewarded when Sherwin was put through by Doyle to slot his side's fifth.
Three minutes later Matt Owen headed the sixth from a corner, but probably the best goal of the game was the last. Grant Young found Lewis Ackerman on the edge of the box with his back to goal, and he turned and shot into the top corner of the net in one movement.
Alresford Town 3 US Portsmouth 0
Alresford marked the official opening of their floodlights - which had in fact been in use for several weeks - with a resounding Wessex Division 2 victory on Tuesday night. Hampshire FA Chairman John Ward flicked the switch to get proceedings under way.
After half-an-hour of end-to-end football Alresford debutant Mark Vallance headed his side into the lead aftyer Danny Kyle had headed back Mark Sherwin's corner.
Sherwin rounded the US keeper to make it 2-nil at the break, and sub Phil Anderson, who'd been on the pitch for just 30 seconds, made it three when he converted a Dean Cole pass.
Alresford Reserves won 3-2 at Cowes Sports in the Wessex Combination East. All of the visitors' goals were scored by recent signing Dean Cole, who has quickly made a claim for a first team place. The winner came in the dying seconds from a forty-yard shot.
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