[Greyfriars Bobby]

1 November 2014
Colne 1-2 Andover Town
FA Cup, First Round
When I first got the job here, I planned on playing the kids in cup ties, saving the first eleven for Wessex Premier fixtures. Now that we're making a good run in the FA Vase, I've rethought that plan.

We took an early lead through Adam Hamilton, but Colne equalized right after the halftime interval. Ten minutes later, John Barton shoved a Colne player in the area, and the referee pointed to the spot. The penalty was well-struck, but Jamie Overson got his hands to it and pushed it away!

As regular time wound down, we all seemed resigned to meeting back at Portway Stadium in a few days.

All of us except Darren Almond.

The doughty center half got his foot to a headed pass from Darren Lees and tried to slip it inside Andy Williams' right post. Williams made a beautiful save, but the ball fell at Almond's feet. He coolly knocked it in, and we happily boarded the coach for the ride back to Andover.

Our victory earned a tidy £900.


8 November 2014
Andover Town 3-0 Moneyfields
If we are really a mid-table team--or better--we should expect to take the points when the team at the bottom of the league visits our grounds. We did exactly that, and in fine style.

New man Alan Morton partnered Adam Hamilton at the top of our 4-4-2, the pair accounted for three goals in the span of 14 minutes in the first half. Morton struck first; Hamilton replied, and Morton completed the quickfire triple.

Moneyfields' strip--yellow shirt, blue shorts--looks just like our away kit, so for a moment, it seemed like I was watching an intrasquad friendly. Unfortunately for the Moneys' manager, Dan Sweeney, it was the real deal. Dan was sacked after the match.


12 November 2014
Christchurch 1-1 Andover Town
Adam Hamilton ran his streak of games with at least one goal to four. He happily intercepted a hideously poor back-pass and hammered it past the Christchurch goalkeeper for his 11th goal of the season.

The Priory are a solid, mid-table side, and they showed some real quality in the opening moments of the second half. Adam Cox capped a series of sharp passes with an even more impressive goal.

Sometimes a draw is the fairest outcome. This was one of those matches.


18 November 2014
Andover Town 1-0 Fawley
Another bottom-dwelling team came to town, and once again we took care of business.

Alan Morton is turning out to be a wonderful signing. He coolly directed home a pass from Paul Watson for the game's only goal.


22 November 2014
Andover Town 5-1 Bristol Manor Farm
FA Vase, Second Round
Our FA Vase run goes on, after this enjoyable romp over a decent team from the Western League Premier Division.

Alan Morton found the range again, and after 45 minutes we were ahead 1-0. After the interval, we scored two goals that were eerily similar; in both cases, Adam Hamilton got his head on long crosses from Joe Clarke and powered them in.

After an own goal by a Farm defender and a well-taken goal from the intriguingly named Giovanni McPhee, John Mortlock volleyed in a John Barton corner for the first goal of his Andover career.

Well done, lads. You earned another £1,200 for your efforts.


25 November 2014
Newport (IOW) 1-2 Andover Town
We faced a stern test from the Ports, who came into the match in third place. We had climbed to sixth, in the midst of a tight clump of teams with the Ports at the top.

We fell behind in the first five minutes, but almost immediately, Adam Hamilton pulled us level. The deciding goal came on 55', when Hamilton released substitute Jack "Of All Trades" Walker, whom I'd just brought on. Walker fired from the top of the eighteen, and that was that.


29 November 2014
Andover Town 4-1 Petersfield
The pitch at Portway Stadium is looking terrible, but it hasn't been slowing us down. We've now gone seven games without a loss.

Four Bluebirds scored a goal apiece. Two of them, both named Paul--Jones and Watson--opened their scoring accounts. The two other scorers were the ones you'd expect: Adam Hamilton and Alan Morton.

The scoreline stood at 1-1 until past the hour mark, and then we changed into our shooting boots and put the match away.


This run we're on has been a blast! I'm growing very attached to this team, who were expected to fight to stay up and are now battling for the league lead.