ANDOVER were disappointed to leave with only a point from a hard-fought game against Fawley, with both teams having players sent off, and a lot of chances at either end, writes Patrick Barlow.

With matches coming thick and fast, and some player unavailable for selection, Town manager Neil Benson made six changes to the team which drew with Portchester a week before. Unavailable goalkeeper Jake Wellesley-David was replaced by Michael Horne, as well as defenders Ope Aromona (injured) and Jordan O’Donnell (suspended) being replaced by Bradley Benson and Claudio Herbert.

As well as this, Michael Dixon, Lewis Benson and Oliver Yates were moved to the bench, with Danny Urry, Ike Robertson and Cameron Hough taking their place.

Andover started quickly and made some good chances in the first few minutes, with Hough crossing only for Fawley keeper Joe Prodomo to block comfortably. Prodomo was again forced into action minutes later, when a brilliant ball by Robertson was again played to Hough, whose cross was punched away well by the Fawley keeper.

It didn’t all go Town’s way and they were on the back foot soon after, when a run by Fawley’s Chris Willis went past the whole defence. It was only a great save by Horne that was able to stop the away side taking the lead into the halftime break.

Andover made two changes soon after the break, with Lewis Benson and Dixon replacing Hough and Herbert which seemed to bring more intensity, but it was Fawley who had the best chance when Zach Willis’ free-kick was saved well by Horne once again.

Benson and Dixon began to run things with increasing authority and the crowd rose expectantly when Dixon was put through with only the keeper to beat a goal seemed certain only for the striker’s shot to be beaten away for a corner.

The introduction of Ollie Yates, Urry, continued to push Andover forward but, despite lots of pressure, they were unable to get through. Fawley had their chances and Horne was grateful to see a low cross flash across the six-yard box without anybody getting a touch.

The game had once last bit of drama when Toby McCauley was met with a bad tackle by Chris Lucas and the resultant melee saw all three officials on the pitch to make sense of the event.

Lucas saw straight red for the tackle but Town also had to play the rest of the game with nine men, as Ryan Inskip was sent off for a second yellow card for his role in the melee, and McCauley unfit to return leaving the Andover crowd to rue a below-par performance.

The snow and ice led to Tuesday’s home match with Blackfield and Langley being postponed.