CK ANDOVER - Seniors 2015/16
An exciting era for the club sees the forming of a new senior team. The team will be playing their first season in the Andover and District Saturday league.
MATCH REPORTS
24 October 2015: CK CLAIM FIRST POINT
CK ANDOVER 2 Broughton Res 2
CK started well and played some of their best football of the season in the first half and really should of have been out of sight. Both Michael Fensome and Ryan Morgans had good chances but found the Broughton keeper in fine form. However it was Broughton who took the lead when the old problem of not dealing with a high ball haunted CK as the Broughton player found time to flick the ball in from a corner. CK should then have been awarded a penalty for hand ball but the referee waved away the CK claims. Creating so many chances the half time talk was just about doing more of the same and the second half mirrored the first with CK pressing for the equaliser. Chances came and went again as Jordy Mumford was unlucky to have his effort cleared off the line. Finally CK grabbed the equaliser. A cross came in and fell to Gen Battersby who calmly waited for the keeper to dive before slotting home. CK then shot themselves in the foot with all the hard work of getting back into the game gone as some sloppy play allowed Broughton to re take the lead. This seemed to knock the wind out of the CK sails but to their credit they kept going and with seconds remaining they got their rewards. Finally a CK long ball missed the Broughton back line and the pacy Ryan Morgans saw his initial shot saved but like all good strikers was alert and superbly finished the rebound from what seemed an impossible angle. No less than what CK deserved in a game where they really should have taken all 3 points. Another battling performance with the CK back line of Jay Humphries, Ryhs Collins, Ed Farrow, Jamie Healy, and in particular player of the match Kieron Odey who did not put a foot wrong all game, looking extremely solid.
17 October 2015: BRAVE CK ALMOST CLAIM CUP WIN
Basingstoke Athletic 2 CK ANDOVER 1
CK always seem to save their best football when the odds are stacked against them and this again was proved as they faced Basingstoke Athletic in the North Hants Cup with only 10 players available and had to start with 9 ! With a game plan set CK saw out the first 15 minutes with 9 superbly. The formation then changed when up to 10 and the game plan of using a quick outlet of a pacy lone striker worked to perfection when Mark Alexander played a perfect pass through to George Daykin who hit an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. Discipline was then the key for CK and they saw the game to half time still leading 1-0. CK started the second half well with all players reading from the same script and crowding out the Basingstoke play. However a goalmouth scramble in the CK box saw the ball drop kindly and Basingstoke finished scruffily to level. With their confidence raised Basingstoke then started to make the extra man count and led soon after with a well taken goal. CK could have then folded but they took their performance to another level and the fact that it was them that created two very good chances to level is a credit to their attitude and fitness but it was not to be. The team can be proud of this performance. A performance full of fight and spirit. That sort of fight needs to be brought into our first half performances when we have a full squad available. Player of the match was shared between Ed Farrow for putting in a top shift in the CK midfield after already playing for the U18's that morning and George Daykin who never stopped running and closing down upfront particularly in the first half and capped it off with a superb goal.
10 October 2015: CK PAY FOR POOR START
New Street Swifts 3 CK ANDOVER 2
CK were looking for their first points of the season but straight from the off the whole team appeared to be off their game. CK found themselves lacking in most areas and always appeared to be a second late all over the pitch and their decision making poor. This and Streets use of a quick up front man put CK trailing 3-0 with a first half to forget again for CK. The only highlight was a slick move in the final minutes which saw Michael Fensome finish well on his debut. At half time we just asked for the whole team to step up and improve in every position and to their credit CK were a different team in the second half. Their closing down was quicker and they moved the ball and attacked with more purpose and pace. This was rewarded when player of the match Michael Fensome capped a hardworking debut with a spectacular goal from outside the box into the top corner. Again CK found themselves the better team in the second half of a game but again had left themselves too much to do with Street seeing the game out to take the points. CK only starting to play when up against it is a habit we need to break.
03 October 2015: 10 MAN CK SECURE CUP WIN
CK ANDOVER 2 Newchurch 2 ( PENS CK WIN 4-3 )
CK secured their first win of the season with a heroic exciting cup win. A great game for a neutral to watch which had everything. The game started with CK just giving their Isle of Wight opponents a little too much respect but it wasn't long before CK started to impose themselves and began to create chances. CK found the Newchurch keeper in fine form and on another day could have been leading comfortably but it was Newchurch who took the lead against the run of play when defending from a corner came back to haunt CK. To their credit CK did not panic and continued to create chances, Mark Alexander providing a clinical finish to a great move for the equaliser. The second half mirrored the first with CK looking in control however then the referee decided to show Callum Holdway Lopez a straight red when squaring up to a Newchurch player, bizarrely not even speaking to the Newchurch player. This served to fire up the CK team led by the passionate vice captain Paul Field. With the back four looking solid led by the two inspirational centre backs Sam Rea and Murray Yelf it was CK who looked like they had the extra player as they moved the ball superbly creating more chances to take the lead. Again though it was Newcurch who scored against the run of play. Trailing now and with 10 men it looked a hard task for CK but they replied within a minute when George Daykin who had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds finished another slick CK move cooly to make it 2-2. CK then showed great spirit to see the game to penalties. Always a lottery and a nerve jangler it was CK who held their nerve as they won 4-3. Paul Field, Jamie Healy, Sam Rea, and Ryan Morgans securing the win. A great game for CK and such a deserved win for showing not only a fighting spirit but also showing what a really good footballing team they can be. I could not pick out one player so Player of the Match goes to the whole squad.
26 September 2015: CK SHOW SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
CK ANDOVER 2 Andover Lions Res 6
Losing captain Leon Wilson through sickness was not the ideal start to a match which had already seen yet another re shuffle and more new signings to get a team together. Having said that CK started well with new signing Matt Bidolph settlling in straight away and adding some much needed strength. With the pace of Matt Winstanley and Gen Battersby using the width well CK caused Lions problems and should have been given the chance to take the lead when a blatant penalty was not given after Mark Alexander had his legs taken away from him. To rub salt into the wounds 10 minutes later Lions were awarded a penalty with a dubious handball decision. Balls over the top came back to haunt CK as their confidence went and Lions took advantage to lead 3-0 at the break. During half time CK spoke about closing down quicker and making sure that the opposition knew they had been in a game. To their credit CK showed great character in the second half and started to press higher up the pitch forcing Lions into rushing their football and making errors. Mark Alexander then scored the goal of the game with a spectacular 25 yard volley high into the net. With Lions being forced back they made a change with a big forward coming on. This made them play the long ball more and it payed off for them adding 3 further goals. CK grabbed anothe fine goal back when Matt Bidolph crossed for Matt Winstanley to head well into the corner. CK walked off losing the game but knowing they had made steps forward from last week. All the team put a good shift in but special mention to the back line led well by stand in captain Jamie Healy and marshalled by keeper Tom Jarvis who didn't put a foot wrong all game. Young midfielder Callum Holdway Lopez also impressed especially in the second half putting challenges in beyond his years. Player of the match went to Mark Alexander for a hard working midfield display capped off with a wonder goal. Lots to work on but so many positives to take.
19 September 2015: CK WITH DAY TO FORGET
Spartens 9 CK ANDOVER 1
With CK only having 9 players on Thursday evening it took some frantic last minute signings and patching up of injuries to get a team together so it was always going to be a difficult match against an experienced Spartens team. However CK did contribute to their own downfall with some kamikaze defending which lead to them being out of the game within 20 minutes as they trailed 4-0. Spartens added another before half time with a dubious hand ball penalty decision. With Matt Scard having to come off injured CK again had to re shuffle and although improving slightly and scoring a well taken goal from Matt Wiinstanley Spartens continued to punish CK with every shot on goal seeming to go in where as the CK chances found the Spartens keeper in fine form. This will take some getting over for the squad but has to be put into perspective with the situation of player availability, player injuries, and the general young age of our squad. Having said that CK need to be more vocal and show more aggression especially when they come up against older more experienced senior teams. Special mention to Mark Alexander who again led the front line tirelessly and player of the match Jordy Mumford who when slotting into left back showed good strength and some great skills when attacking.
