Andover New Street went one better than last season in the famous FA Cup tournament by progressing to the preliminary round with an away victory against Warminster Town.

Both sides missed out on promotion in the end of season play offs, suggesting a close contest, but the former Wessex League side have not enjoyed the best of starts to the current campaign and the end result was both deserved and justified.

Holidays caused alterations to the Street line up with Joe Rogers, Lee Morris and Harry Lawton replacing Liam Hibberd, Eddie Perrett and Alex Dockree, whilst Ross Cook had a place on the bench.

READ MORE: Andover New Street begin new season with big win

The home side made the better start, but it soon became obvious that the rock hard and largely bare playing surface would affect the game and so it proved with the bounce of the ball causing problems throughout the ninety minutes.

Speculative efforts from Lawton and Cameron Thatcher were wide and keeper Sam Thomson rose highest to punch clear a Mike Gosney cross.

The first real chance fell to the home side when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the D and Braden Humphries got his feet in a tangle when seizing on the loose ball with a clear sight of goal.

A Thatcher header was saved before another home free kick in a dangerous position was only partially cleared and George Baxter pushed a fierce volley from Spencer Hall round the post at full stretch.

An ugly looking challenge on Baxter earned the home side’s Logan Cassidy a caution – some referees may have taken stronger action - and at the other end quick thinking by Gosney caught Thomson off his line with his attempt from distance just the wrong side of the post. This was the last significant effort of the half with the game still all square.

On the restart, a Callum Sweeney volley was rather painfully blocked by a defender and inside ten minutes a first-time lob by Thatcher bounced to safety off the cross bar.

Another effort from home defender Hall was too high before Cook replaced Darryl Phillips with thirteen minutes played. Almost immediately a long cross from the right was too high and as Shane Lock tried to recover the ball the challenge was from behind and the referee pointed to the spot.

To some, especially those of a red and black persuasion, it looked a little soft, but Lock was going away from goal and there was no need for the challenge.

Cook swept the kick low into the net with his customary aplomb. (0-1)

The decision appeared to frustrate the home side with a couple of bookings for challenges and a third challenge, on Lawton, saw another booking and the Street player replaced by Mikey Davis.

With some 15 minutes left on the clock, Street made it two as a Joe Rogers cross was completely missed by a defender allowing Cook to slot the ball home at the far post. (0-2)

SEE ALSO: History of Andover Football Club

Davis and possibly Sweeney added to the bookings tally but overall, the referee had a good afternoon, and as the game rather drifted to a close a Davis cross was hacked almost out of his keeper’s hands by a defender and over the bar.

Street’s reward is a trip to Westbury United in the next round, a tough draw given they were promoted to the Southern League in the close season.

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