PO Final Fareham Town 2 Andover New Street 1

26 April 2025

Last tango in Fareham.  After 38 games, with both sides securing 72 points, and respective semi-final victories, here are the last two standing: Fareham Town and Andover New Street, one win away from promotion to Step Four.  In an added twist, each had won their away league game against the other, so home advantage wasn’t guaranteed to be a factor… a great crowd of 1,103 to enjoy the show in the sunshine.

Sometimes, this kind of game can be nervy, tense and tetchy affairs: pleased to say that it wasn’t the case today, possibly helped by an early goal for the Creeksiders.  6th minute, neat control from Alfie Bridgman on the right wing, cut inside but left the shot for Callum Neil – placed beautifully inside the near post, a high-quality finish to the delight of the majority of the crowd.  And while the sides were largely evenly matched, the visitors struggled to create against a disciplined Fareham defence, and the top chances of the first half were all to the Creeksiders: a Bennett header from a corner brilliantly tipped over by Hill on 10 minutes, same again on 38 minutes from an Aston header.  The most that Street had to offer was a breakaway shortly before the interval, but Williams was at full stretch by the time he reached the ball and his cross-shot was well high and wide.  HT 1-0

45 minutes for Andover to raise themselves one last time… or would Fareham find the second?  The hosts had begun to sit back a little, and having looked likely to wrap the game up had instead been managing it, always fraught with risk.  But they started the second half well – brilliant hold-up play from the excellent Cooper, perfect cross, Joe Ryan with a free header about ten yards out – over the bar.  However, Ryan made amends a couple of minutes later when he twisted and turned down the left, skinned his defender Quashie, and had his legs taken from underneath him: definite penalty, converted calmly by Stan Bridgman to give Fareham a cushion.  The spaces were beginning to open up as Andover pushed forward, and the Creeksiders might easily have scored again if they had been slightly more careful with the final ball – although one sublime volley from the outstanding Cooper, out of nowhere, had to be tipped away at his near post by Hill.  But suddenly, boom, Street were back in the game with 17 minutes to go – sub Kokoaszka beat Sullivan, perfect cross, headed home by Williams.  Cue the Alamo?  In all honesty, no – Fareham managed the game reasonably comfortably.  They might have scored a bizarre third when a powerful clearance cannoned off Ryan and flew just past the post… Street saw a Holmes shot from a decent position fly wide, one shot deflected wide and then, as the clock ticked red, their second shot on target from Kokoaszka, but it was weak and gave Lee no trouble.  Later still a corner… but again, the header lacked power and Lee could fall on the ball.  There were five minutes of overtime played, no bookings in the entire game – and delight for the Creeksiders as the referee finally blew for full time.  Neil was given man of the match, no argument from me, although Aston and Cooper might also have been in the argument.  FT 3-1

In truth, Fareham deserved the win: they were the better side on the day, might have scored more, and good luck to them next season in the Southern League.  Some of their football was excellent, and Alfie Bridgman is a great watch although he became less influential as the game went on (and then had to go off injured).  For Andover New Street, one dance too many – they had an outstanding season including the semi-finals of the Vase, but they just missed out on Wembley and now on promotion.  Hard times for them… congratulations to Fareham Town… and I’ll see you for the League Cup final next month.