Lionhearts

A proud battling performance from Howard Goddard's Lions meant Andover left the Recreation Ground with their heads held high on Tuesday night.

And with just two goals separating the two sides after the first leg of this Hampshire Senior Cup semi-final, there is everything to play for at the Portway on 25 March.

Make no mistake, Andover gave Aldershot one hell of a game - and even had the better chances. The Ryman league leaders had fewer opportunities, but scored with two of them, and Michael Harper's strike with the last kick of the game exaggerated what little difference there was on the night between these two teams.

Vince Rusher created three excellent chances in the first half. The first was a superb effort from 25 yards which was turned over the bar by Shots keeper Gareth Howells; the second curled agonisingly wide of the frame of the goal; and the third was again saved by Howells as Rusher burst through into the penalty area. In a half which also saw Justin Bennett head inches over the bar, the Jewson Wessex side stood tall against their opponents from three divisions above, and had the better of the play.

That said, Kieron Drake made a brilliant save low down to deny Ray Warburton, and Andover's talismanic captain Glen Damen had to clear off the line when Drake collided with Mark Hammond - but the Lions deserved to go in at 0-0, if not better.

The Shots finally punctured the Lions' sterling defensive work on 52 minutes, as Hammond curled in a free-kick from 25 yards, and Andover faced further strife when Paul George was sent off 20 minutes from the end for a second booking. But the Lions kept on battling, keeping out Town with both courage and composure. Danny Sullivan, who was a revelation on the right, had a glorious run through on goal ended by another fine Howells save, but no matter how hard they worked, Andover couldn't quite find the vital goal their efforts merited.

It was a heartbreaking blow on 93 minutes when Harper fired from 20 yards past an unsighted Drake at his near post, but even with their second goal, the Shots know they were given a real game on Tuesday night - and they won't relish a trip to the Portway in two weeks' time.

Goddard told the Advertiser: "I was proud of my boys tonight. One-nil would have been fantastic, but 2-0 is still super for us.

"I thought we were excellent, and we had enough chances to go in three-up at half-time.

"This tie is well alive, and they know it. They won't like coming to the Portway.

"It was a top-class performance, and there's everything still to play for. We will make even more chances at home, and I fancy us to get a result.

"Seven months ago we would never have dreamed of a game like that.

"But we did ourselves justice, and anyone would have been proud to be the Andover manager on Tuesday."