LEWIS Till helped ring up three points for Bournemouth Poppies with a stunning 25-yard winner in their battling 3-2 success against Andover at the Portway Stadium.

Yet amazingly, just 24 hours earlier, Till was still in the USA and awaiting a plane back home from Washington with all incoming flights from Heathrow grounded due to the much-publicised security alert.

Poppies' manager Shaun Brooks said: "To be honest I'd forgotten about Lewis because I thought he wasn't due to land back in England until Sunday morning.

"But he rang me from Fleet at 10am on Saturday morning saying that he had slept on board the plane and felt OK to play - then he pops up with a superb winner.

"It was a great way for us to bounce back from the Downton defeat last week. It was a terrific performance from our lads today and we finally got what we deserved. You don't go to places like Andover and win too often," smiled Brooks.

In an early goal rush, Richard Glenister beat the Andover 'keeper in a one-on-one to give Poppies an eighth-minute lead but Phil Andrews equalised before Justin Bennett rifled a beautiful 25-yard shot into the top corner with only 12 minutes played.

On 30 minutes, Till's powerful drive was too hot for the Lions' 'keeper and he presented Ryan Lucas with a tap-in before Till volleyed his stunner 20 minutes from time.

Poppies' near neighbours Christchurch also opened a few eyes with their impressive 5-2 win at fourth-placed AFC Newbury. They also got off to a flying start with Chris Kennedy crossing for James Bailey-Pearce to crash home an unstoppable 18-yard shot after four minutes.

Ashley Vine levelled for the home side five minutes later but the Priory men were back in front on 18 minutes when the flying Kennedy was brought down and Ross Edwards converted the resultant spot-kick.

A bullet Tom Hughes header from Kennedy's corner kick saw the visitors go 3-1 up early in the second half before a superb James Caswell strike from the edge of the penalty area reduced the arrears again in the 54th minute.

But Christchurch made sure of the points on 80 minutes through Scott Joyce and, in the last minute, Kennedy was again brought down in the area and Edwards stepped forward for the second time to bury number five.