Andover 1

AFC Newbury 0

CFL sponsored Andover gained a real confidence boosting win over high-flying AFC Newbury on Tuesday night with the winner coming from central defender Glen Damen - a former Newbury player!

In a tense and often physical encounter Damen, who has proved to be a real diamond in the Lions den since joining from the Berkshire side last season, struck the all-important goal on 59 minutes when he bundled the ball home from close range after the spring-heeled Andy Forbes had headed down a cross from Matt Bicknell.

It was a game that second-in-table Newbury could not really afford to lose with them having already dropped 18 points this season to Andover's six and having played eight more games than Ken Cunningham Brown's JWL champions.

It was another big test for the Lions with Newbury have brought in a number of ex-Southern League players this season and paid £2,000 to Newport for striker Steve Watt. Newport boss Tony young and player coach Guy Whittingham were both at the game and whether or not they were casting an eye over the £30,000 rated Forbes or not they must have been impressed as the home side were much the better team in the second half and several chances to put the game beyond Newbury's reach.

Vince Rusher, back from working in Wothing, came as a second-half substitute and had the best of the openings when the Lions were awarded a penalty 15 minutes from the end after the rampaging Lloyd Webber went tumbling in the area under a challenge from Newbury skipper Steve Tavinor.

It was the Lions third spot kick in as many games but Rusher, the team's regular penalty taker, went for power instead of his usual guile and rifled his shot over the bar.

Rusher however brought a somewhat hesistant Andover to life when he came on to form a telling twin-spear head with Forbes as they both went close to adding to Andover's lead during the last half hour.

Forbes was desperately unlucky when Rusher pinged the ball in from the right with the 21-year-old Reading youngster doing everything right with a well placed header from six yards only to see it bounce wide off the foot of an upright.

Rusher too twice had shots deflected when he had the goal at his mercy but fortunately the one goal on the night proved enough to give the Lions three valuable points.

Newbury, urged on by the busy Jason Caffel in midfield, had a slight edge in the first half as they worked the flanks but there was little between the two sides and it always looked as though one goal might settle the issue.

Tommy Pegler was Newbury's main threat and he twice went close to breaking the deadlock in the first half; driving over from an acute angle after rounding 'keeper Kieron Drake and was even closer just before half time with a thundering free-kick from fully 30 yards that clattered against the underside of Drake's crossbar before rebounding back into play with the 'keeper well beaten.

For the most part however the two sides cancelled each other out with Andover solid at the back, although the exchanges at time got a little physical, but the Lions got their act together in the second half with KCB pushing his wide men forward and playing with virtually four up front, with Alan Kennedy again showing excellent form when coming on for last 15 minutes, and well supported from midfield by the strong running Webber.

KCB said afterwards that he thought it was a very hard game and that Newbury were really up for it. "A lot of the players come from the same area and know each other well but I thought we looked the better side when we got the ball in front of the wide men and could have won it by a bigger margin. On another night we could have had five.. The Lions are also in JWL action this season when they make their first visit to league newcomers Portland United and new Tuesday entertain Blackfield & Langley in the JWL Cup (7.45pm).

Andover (4-4-2): Drake; Freeman, Barker, Damen, Bicknell; Asker, Webber, Walsh, Dyke; Mattingley, Forbes. Subs: Rusher (for Mattingley 53 mins), Kennedy (for Asker 75 mins), Crossley (not used).