Andover Town bowed out of the uhlsport Hampshire Premier League Cup on Saturday afternoon after suffering a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat against Locks Heath at Portway Stadium.
Despite an impressive performance against a side that won the league above last season, Town were unable to find a breakthrough during the 90 minutes, with the second-round encounter finishing goalless before the visitors secured a 4-3 victory on penalties.
The result brought an end to Andover’s cup campaign, but there were plenty of positives for the home side to take from a performance that demonstrated their growing confidence under their new manager.
Town more than matched their opponents throughout the contest and, according to their manager, dominated proceedings during the second half. However, despite their efforts, neither side could break the deadlock, sending the tie to a penalty shootout.
It was Locks Heath who eventually held their nerve, edging the shootout 4-3 to progress to the next round of the competition.
Speaking to the Andover Town website following the defeat, the manager, Robbie Skeates, expressed his disappointment at the result but praised his players for their efforts.
“We went toe to toe with the winners of the league above last season and more than matched them. Dominated the second half and gutted not to get something from it.
“Loads of positives to take from that performance and proud of the boys.
“Onto a huge league game Saturday against an unbeaten team in our division.”
While the cup exit will undoubtedly be frustrating, Town can take encouragement from their performance against strong opposition as they turn their attention back to league football.
Huge Test Awaits Against Unbeaten Nursling & Shirley
There will be little time for Andover Town to dwell on their cup disappointment, with one of their biggest league fixtures of the season awaiting them next weekend.
Town travel to face unbeaten league leaders Nursling & Shirley on Saturday, 24 October, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.
Their opponents have enjoyed a remarkable start to the 2026/27 campaign, winning all nine of their opening league fixtures.
Nursling & Shirley have scored an impressive 27 goals while conceding just 10, collecting a maximum 27 points and establishing themselves as the team to beat in the division.
However, Andover will head into the encounter with renewed belief following their encouraging recent performances and the competitive display against Locks Heath.
With their new manager having assembled a promising squad, Town will be hoping to become the first side this season to take points off the league leaders.
The fixture will also mark the first-ever meeting between Andover Town and Nursling & Shirley, adding further interest to what promises to be a fascinating encounter.
Although the hosts will enter the match as favourites based on their perfect league record, Andover’s recent improvement suggests they will be determined to provide a stern test.
For Town, the challenge is clear: put the disappointment of their cup exit behind them and produce another strong performance against the division’s early pace-setters.
Next fixture: Nursling & Shirley v Andover Town Date: Saturday, 24 October 2026 Kick-off: 3pm Competition: League fixture
Source: Andover Town FC official website.