Stockbridge 1, Portsmouth RN 3

BARRY Andrews is still the manager of Stockbridge - and will remain so for the immediate future.

Andrews, the former Andover, Aldershot and Salisbury midfielder, last week looked to be teaming up with former Stockbridge 'keeper Steve Whitcher as part of the new management teams of ambitious Hants Premier Division rivals Winchester City.

"It was nice to be asked," admitted Andrews, whose name has also been linked with Salisbury. "I seriously thought about going, it was a big decision, but at the end of the day decided to stay with Stockbridge.

"I told Steve Whitcher that I would be joining him at Winchester and even told chairman Dave Gray that I was going but then had second thoughts.

"I've been with Stockbridge for six years and I've got a lot of affection for the club. It would also have been a wrench to have left with them in the position they are at the moment.

"There were a variety of reasons why I decided to stay at Stockbridge, one of the them was that my son Ben is involved. He plays for the youth side and that was one of the things that persuaded me that I would be happy to stay where I am. Another reason is that I also want to see Stockbridge progress."

Things have not been going too well on the pitch for the Hants Premier Division side and they suffered another two home defeats during the past week - crashing 5-1 to Pirelli in midweek and then losing 3-1 to Portsmouth RN last Saturday.

Despite scoring early on through Paul Sanders against Pirelli, 'Bridge were 4-1 down at the break. "They were better than us, played some lovely football in the first half, but we were low on confidence," said Andrews. 'Bridge had Geordie Curran and Paul Odey back in the side last Saturday for the game against a strong and physical Navy side but never really got the rub of the green, with Odey in the first half and Paul Atkins in the second hitting the crossbar while all three Navy goals came from crosses.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, 'Bridge conceded a third goal 10 minutes into the second half but another goal from Paul Sanders proved no more than a consolation. "We matched them with what we had for most of the game but they had just that bit more quality when it was needed," summed up Andrews.

Stockbridge (3-5-2): Davis; Sean Sanders, Richards, Savage; Vince, Poultney, Curran, Butcher, Paul Sanders; Odey, Atkins. Subs: Smith (for Atkins 70), Allen (for Butcher 70 mins), Evans (not used).