Progress to next round (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Progress to next round

2:41pm Wednesday 31st October 2012 in Andover

Whitchurch United 3 Overton United 0

WHITCHURCH progressed to the next round of the North Hants Cup on Tuesday night.

Overton battled throughout and always tried to play football, but until the closing minutes did not have the firepower to worry the home defence.

George Dallarda fired a free-kick straight at keeper Sean O’Brien and Harry Rudge was too high at the other end before O’Brien had to go down bravely at Paul Coventry’s feet.

The home side looked the more threatening with Louis Macey too high at the far post from a Coventry cross.

The breakthrough came just past the half hour when a low drive from Coventry went through O’Brien.

The keeper could do nothing about the second four minutes later as his defence failed to clear a Nick Jupp corner and John Rimmer’s volley flew high into the net.

O’Brien saved from Dallarda on the restart before Nathan Rae, a perpetual threat on the Overton left, saw a swerving cross headed out from under the bar by Adam Pearson.

Whitchurch made matters safe with a third goal midway through the half when the defence failed to clear a through ball and Coventry’s shot from the edge of the area found the bottom corner.

The final ten minutes belonged to the visitors with Alex Thompson in the home goal plunging to his left to deny Rudge and tipping a Rae effort over the bar.

A looping header from Matthew Harris bounced on top of the bar and Rae struck the woodwork with a free-kick.

Whitchurch ended with ten men as Jupp collected two yellow cards and a red in as many minutes.