Andover 3 Wimborne Town 1

ANDOVER extended their unbeaten run to seven league games after beating another of the JWL high-flyers last Saturday. Wimborne arrived at The Portway in fourth place and knowing that only one other side in the league had scored more goals than them this season.

History was also on their side with the Lions having only won three times in the previous 16 encounters between the two sides.

So, with the previous week's victory at leaders Eastleigh still a major talking point, the home side knew another similar performance was required - and they duly delivered to leave the Lions faithful firmly believing that there really is a Santa Claus.

Ecstatic Lions team boss Howard Goddard said that they have had some great wins but this ranked as one of the best since he took charge. "We not only outplayed them but outfought them for the whole 90 minutes," he said.

Goddard added that their 15-game unbeaten run speaks for itself with it lasting for the last 10-12 weeks. He said: "What it brings is that bit of belief that has always be there and other sides now give us much more respect It's taken us four months to get where we are and I mean this in the nicest possible way when I say that we're not a one-man team. We miss Vinnie Rusher terribly but his replacement Terry Lynch scored two of the goals."

Sam Rea made a welcome return to the side when replacing the suspended Vince Rusher in attack otherwise Goddard fielded the same side that caused the big upset at Eastleigh the previous week and the Lions latest acquisition, Dean Cole signed from Portchester during the week was given a place on the bench.

The 20-year-old striker whose goals helped AFC Portchester side to promotion last season and has already notched a further 21 goals this season in the county league, cannot have failed to have been impressed at the way his new team-mates went about their task.

Gavin Richards before the game collected the 'Top Nosh' sponsored player-of-the-month award for November and over the next 90 minutes the 24-year-old defender from Ludgershall, who joined the town club with a host of other local players after Salisbury disbanded their Reserves side during the close season, staked a claim for the December nomination as well.

"He's come on a bundle," declared Goddard. "He started off by playing in midfield but then switched to defence after we lost Paul George with a hamstring injury and has adapted brilliantly."

Besides Richards, the Lions man-of-the-match award could have gone to one of at least six players and the judge finally went for the tenacious Mario Nurse.

Both sides started well and five goals could have been scored in the first 15 minutes. Rea had two sharp chances before before the Wimborne 'keeper denied Justin Bennett as the young striker attempted to finish a fine Andover four-man passing move.

With scoring chances coming at both ends, it was a little surprising that more than half-an-hour elapsed before the first goal arrived. In what was almost a carbon copy of his effort from the previous week and midfielder Steve McNulty was again the scorer as he rifled home another spectacular volley from just outside the area, but this time Rea was the provider.

From the restart Bennett had another sharp chance but within three minutes Wimborne were back on terms. Former Lion Guy Dipper sent over a deep cross from the left, Kieron Drake was caught in two minds and Paul Manning hooked the ball into the goal, despite the valiant efforts of one of the home defenders to keep it out but the referee's assistant ruled that the ball had crossed the line before it was cleared.

Undaunted, the Lions hit back with four minutes of the half remaining when Lynch, playing in Rusher's role just behind the front two, fired home his first goal for the town club to put the Lions back in front for the second time.

Wimborne's reply was swift and only quick thinking by Drake prevented a second equaliser as three onrushing forwards failed by a whisker to connect with Dipper's low angle cross in the dying seconds of the first half.

After the break Rea was soon in the thick of the action again as Andover once again took up the running. He stung the Wimborne 'keeper's finger tips with his opening salvo but then an altercation with Wimborne's Matt Parkin ended with both players being yellow carded.

The second half developed into a tight and keenly fought affair with both sides giving little away and there were not so many scoring chances for the crowd of almost 200 as there were in the first half.

At times tempers became frayed but Poole referee Dominic Gregory did a good job in allowing play to flow whilst keeping the game under control.

The Lions needed a further goal to relieve the tension and it came unexpectedly nine minutes from time. A poor clearance was charged down by Lynch and the Tidworth-based solider then accelerated away before coolly lobbing the 'keeper la Rusher from 25 yards for his second goal of the game.

The match was far from won and Drake produced another save out of the top draw to deny Wimborne a second goal and a more favourable score line.

The latest victory also took the Lions to the dizzy heights of sixth place in the JWL. Only 'Roy of the Rovers' had it better than this.

Andover (3-5-2): Drake; Richards, Damen, Pratley; Kennendy, Hughes, Lynch, McNulty, Nurse; Rea, Bennett. Subs: Cole (for Bennett 80 mins), Phil Nicholls (not used), Mariner (for Hughes 77 mins).