Match Report Saturday 10th October
Sherborne Town FC 0 - 2 Andover New Street
FA Vase
Sherborne Town 0 Andover New Street 2
Sherborne's participation in the FA Vase was blown away on a blustery afternoon at Raleigh Grove, but with five first-team regulars unavailable - captain Josh Williams, Aaron White, Alex Murphy, Dec Cornish and Ollie Hebbard - this tie was always going to be a tall order. It was only the second time since the start of last season (August 19 2025) that a Zebras back four failed to feature Williams and White together.
Nevertheless, it provided an opportunity for a clutch of young Zebras to test themselves against chunky opposition whose physical appearance suggested that generous portions of cow pie, á la Desperate Dan, was their preferred pre-match meal. It all amounted to good experience for the teenagers.
The whole team soldiered on right to the end with high levels of character and there was no disgrace in this defeat. Street's Luke Cairney was much the busier of the two keepers after the interval, but by then the damage had been done and the visitors progressed to the second round courtesy of two first-half goals.
Zebras began attacking the Clubhouse end. After 15 minutes the first page on my notepad was still blank. The word mundane sprang to mind. Then Cam Thatcher chopped down Ollie Crisp and things started rolling. Duncan McCabe swung over the free-kick which was cleared by one of the big hulks in yellow.
Then in the 21st minute, Street struck the initial blow from the first corner of the match. From Jacob Rawkins' delivery, Claudio Herbert rose between two defenders at the near post to meet the ball and send a looping header over Jack Marshall and into the far corner of the net.
Zebras responded with a storming run down the middle from Billy Mullins which ended with a shot blocked. The loose ball was collected by Ant Herrin but his follow-up effort was also charged down in a crowded six-yard box.
As George Bennett took the ball away from the danger zone he was bundled over by Mullins who received a caution - one of the many bad calls from referee Shaun Thorne. McCabe's soft booking was another.
On 34 minutes the lively Archie Bryce delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area but the ball didn't fall kindly for Liam Nardiello. A mention in dispatches for the 18-year-old Nardiello who faced a tough task leading the line against such sturdy opposition. His work-rate was tremendous as he constantly closed down Bennett and fellow centre-half George Higgins at every opportunity.
Unfortunately for the hosts, a minute later Street extended their lead. Kian Tydeman still had plenty to do when receiving a fiercely-struck cross-field pass, but he wrong-footed defenders with a swift shimmy inside and picked his spot with a low shot past Marshall who could only stand and admire the cool finish. It all looked rather too easy.
There was not much else to report before the break. A Street free-kick pumped into the box landed at the feet of Bennett but the skipper scuffed his shot which trickled straight to Marshall. In the aftermath, Claudio was booked for being a right Herbert, needlessly cannoning into Marshall.
The myopic Thorne then awarded Street a goal-kick when the ball deflected behind off a defender, and followed up by giving the visitors a corner when a shot flew unassisted over the cross-bar.
Half-time 0-2.
Zebras resumed trying to unpick a solid defence. Jake Graziano sent in a good cross from the right which needed urgent attention from Bennett. Then, when Street failed to clear in the 55th minute, a well-struck drive from Herrin was beaten away by Cairney at full stretch. It wasn't long before Zebras were back on the attack. Herrin cut in from the left before unleashing a shot on the stretch which whistled wide. With Street under the cosh, Bennett saw yellow for tripping Nardiello.
Andover attacks were few and far between, and they usually ended up with a man in yellow falling over and winning a free-kick. This was the first time Henry Lawrence-Napier and Josh Ansell had been paired together in central defence and they were beginning to click, limiting the opposition to long-range stuff. It looked ominous for Zebras when Shane Lock went down just outside the penalty area, but Rawkins' free-kick failed to clear Lawrence-Napier in the wall.
The home management team began ringing the changes. Tommy Gaylard replaced Ollie Crisp, the latter's brother Joe came on for McCabe and Charlie Watson made way for Ash Guppy. Bryce shifted to left-back with Guppy taking change down the right wing.
Street had little control during this period. Herrin soon combined with Guppy, whose cross ended with Nardiello tumbling in the box but penalty appeals were ignored.
On 75 minutes Gaylard latched on to a loose ball at the back stick but his thunderous strike was denied by Cairney, diving to his right.
Down at the other end Herbert capsized under a challenge from Mullins before retaliating with his head in the home midfielder's face. His actions should have resulted in a second yellow, and therefore red, but not surprisingly the man with the whistle, Mr Magoo, missed it all. The Street bench thought it prudent to haul off Herbert and send on Henry Anoma.
In stoppage time Herrin's cross reached Joe Crisp but the sub's shot was straight at Cairney. Crisp arrowed in a couple of menacing long throws and Gaylard forced a late corner but a consolation goal for the plucky hosts was not forthcoming.
Team: Marshall, Graziano, Watson (Guppy 66), Ansell, Lawrence-Napier, Mullins, Bryce, McCabe (J Crisp 61), Nardiello, Herrin, O Crisp (Gaylard 53). Subs not used: C Calway, Hollard (gk).
Booked: Mullins, McCabe.
Attendance: 95.
Man-of-the-match: Mullins.