Andover 28 Maidstone 19

A hard-fought win over basement boys Maidstone saw Andover edge nearer to safety on Saturday.

Even though Andover had the power and the pace to see off the visitors, the Kent side, who are slipping ever-closer to relegation, fought for every inch of the Goodship Ground - and would have stormed into a dangerous second-half lead, if it hadn't been for a brilliant try-saving tackle by Dan Pearson.

It was Andover, though, who had flown out of the blocks, as Tiko blasted his way through three tackles to score in the corner from the kick-off. And the home side went even further ahead minutes later as a driving maul saw player-coach Keith Mitchell touch down for Andover's second try.

Maidstone kept in touch with a penalty as Andover failed to release the ball, but back came the home side with another power-play, as Mark Gittos supplied Mark Wilding from a scrum on five metres, for a converted try to make it 17-3.

Andover were coasting, but a long break for an injury to Maidstone's Garry Whitehead seemed to unsettle them, and after a penalty reduced the arrears, Mark Ryan steamed down the line to score in the corner for the visitors at the end of an hour-long first period.

A drop-goal from Glen Aukett got Maidstone even closer the other side of the break, as they started to find more and more width for their backs, and a good move then saw the visitors' captain Steve Matthews pile over the line to take them into the lead.

The turning-point came a minute later, as the pacy Mark Ryan burst through the centre and seemed destined to extend Maidstone's lead, only to be sent crashing down by Pearson's fine tackle. Soon after, a massive kick under pressure by Mitchell from just inside the Maidstone half settled Andover's nerves, and they powered away to victory, a Pearson try and another huge Mitchell penalty sealing the win.

The Andover player-coach was happy with the victory, if not with all aspects of the performance. He told the Advertiser: "We started well, but there was a big injury, and they came out wanting it more, and they got what they deserved."

He praised his team-mates, saying: "Pearson came back and made a cracking tackle - it wasn't just the tackle, he held the ball in as well. It was the ideal tackle, about two yards out from the posts."

And of his own superb kicking display, he commented: "As soon as I've got sight of goal with the wind behind like that, anything's kickable from inside that half.

"I think there were a few doubts on the very last one; even the skipper said: 'You ain't gonna get that' but I said: 'I've kicked from further back two weeks ago, and I'm confident' - and he just apologised to me!

"A win's a win. We were seventh, and this was the bottom side. We had to win, and we'll take the points."