Town at last got back to league action on Saturday after 3 weeks off to due to the weather. The match was switched to a 3G surface to ensure the game went ahead. Town were hit with an injury blow before the game with top scorer Liam Aubrey ruled out with a hamstring injury.
It was evident from the start that both teams were making the most of the surface with some attractive football played. Town looked happy to soak up the pressure and hit Andrews on the break. The pace of Town’s front 3 was causing the Andrews back line all sorts of problems and Jelly was the first to show with an effort wide of the target. Jelly once again broke free down the right, held the ball up and eventually found captain Silk whose effort was parried to safety by the keeper. The chances kept coming for Town with Jayes going close and Ramkissoon heading over from a corner. Town deservedly went ahead on the half hour mark when a clearance from Worrad was only cleared as far as Jayes who rifled his effort across the keeper and into the far corner. This brought Andrews out of their shell and had 2 great chances before the break with the first cleared off the line and the second coming back off a post. HT 0-1.
Andrews began the second half strongly with Town for some reason stepping off and not playing with the same intensity as the first half. A great save from Smith and a couple of wayward finishes meant Town maintained their slender advantage until the hour mark when Andrews equalised with a stunning free kick into the top corner from 25 yards. Town made changes with Mcdade and Hardy replacing Pullen and Danny Smith but the pattern of the game didn’t change and 10 minutes later Andrews took the lead when Town failed to clear their lines and the ball was hammered home from 12 yards. 5 minutes later Andrews headed a 3rd unmarked from a corner and in all honesty they could have added a couple more but for some awful finishing. Town didn’t give up and there was still time for Jelly to smash the bar from a difficult angle and Hardy to chip the keeper only to have his effort cleared off the line. The game ended 3-1 and Andrews deservedly took the points. It’s a disappointing start to the year for Town but we must stick together and return to the impressive form shown before Christmas, sometimes the opposition are just better on the day! FT 3-1.
