Winchester 1st XI 4

Andover 1st XI 3

ANDOVER 1st XI have waited a long time to play Winchester in a competitive league match.

Once regarded as one of the best teams in the South and pushing for a place in the National League - a position aspired to by Andover - Winchester displayed an air of confidence and ambition that the local club could learn from; the purchase of a talented Dutch coach and introduction of young skilful players indicates that Winchester's slump is over and are on the up again.

In a terrific roller-coaster match, Winchester held a two-goal lead but Andover fought back to level terms midway through the second half with two goals from Craig Smith after being side-lined for five weeks with a back injury and former Winchester player Rob West, and at that point looked as though they would walk away with the three points.

With five minutes left Winchester regained the lead and even then Andover had chances to level and had an appeal for a penalty turned down.

Winchester 'keeper Craig Falkingham frustrated Andover throughout with a number of excellent saves. Andover dominated the first quarter but failed to turn their pressure into goals and Winchester twice forged their way in front to lead 2-1 at the break.

They scored from their first real attack but Andover soon levelled with Smith adding the finishing touch from Glyn Hacker's assist only for Winchester to regain the lead from their first penalty corner. Andover thought they had equalised but Andy Winnett's penalty corner failed to hit the backboard and was correctly disallowed.

Andover created the better chances in the second half, however it was Winchester who went on to score, again from a penalty corner. Undaunted, Andover narrowed the deficit with West scoring with a perfectly placed penalty awarded for a deliberate foul on the goal line and their come back was complete in the final 10 minutes when Smith was again in the right place to score from a right-wing cross.

Andover should have go on and won the game but panic in their defence resulted in an them conceding an unnecessary penalty corner and Winchester took full advantage with a forward diving in to push home the winning goal.

In the dying seconds Winnett's strong run into the circle resulted in several tough stick tackles but the umpire awarded a penalty corner. Sadly, Andover were hoping for a second penalty as they never looked like scoring with their corner routines.

Andover 1st XI squad: Butterworth, Smith (C), Hoo (R), Oostendorp, Viggers (capt), West, Hacker, Winnett, Davidson, Wallbank, Cansdale, Smith (P).

Vectis 1

Andover Ladies 2

Redrice Health & Fitness sponsored Andover Ladies 1st XI maintained their recent excellent form when they travelled to the Isle of Wight last Saturday despite having to cope with an appalling pitch. Unable to play their normal passing game, Liz Hacker's side had to play a more direct game and, despite having most of the play, found themselves trailing at half time to a goal from a penalty corner.

In the second half Andover continued to push forward and were rewarded with two fine goals from Lisa Crack. The first with an unstoppable shot after a cracking run and the second after she was awarded a penalty stroke. Vectis piled forward in numbers in the later stages but Andover held out for another deserved victory.

Andover Ladies 1st XI: Rutter, Sandilands, Green, Kinchenton, Crack, Cuff, Hacker (capt), Amphlett, Claridge, Duffy, Hoare.

Andover 3rd XI 1

Fareham 3rd XI 4

Andover failed to score the goal their play deserved in a goal-less first half. They continued to play well in the second but squandered two gilt-edge chances before Fareham broke the deadlock. Skipper Dan Challinor did pull a goal back with his third goal for the side only for Fareham to wrap up the game with a fourth goal.

Andover 3rd XI: Butterworth, Young, Peebles, Burnham (J), Burnham (T), Challinor (capt), Ginn, Stiles, Bright, Unwin, Halford, Marney.

Poole 3rd XI 1

Andover 4th XI 2

Andover 4th XI won a game in which tempers ran high and were down to 10 men for a spell in the second half after Tom Burnham was sent to the sin-bin for a three-minute cooling off period. Poole took and an early lead but fine play between James Woods and Mark Rimmer brought an equaliser late in the first half and in the second half, despite some questionable umpiring but boosted by the courageous saves from Steven Marney in goal, Andover scored the winner with Rimmer again adding the finishing touch.

Andover 4th XI: Marney, Moss, Peebles (D), Stiles, Burnham (T), Unwin, Needham, Peebles (N), Woods, Rimmer, Samways.

Andover Vets XI 4

Barnes Vets 2

Andover Vets XI looked to be heading for another defeat after conceding two early goals but they came back with a vengeance to record a confidence-boosting win. They were 2-1 down at the break but with Alan Shaw back to his old form they ran out worthy victors with two goals from Shaw and one apiece from John Priestley-Cooper and John Carpenter.

Andover Vets XI: Allan, McLanre, Panszczyk, May (A),. Priestley-Cooper, Shaw, Morrison, Toole, Carpenter, Cuff, Wilcox.

Andover Ladies 2nd XI 1

Havant Ladies 4th XI 7

Although Andover Ladies 2nd XI had a full team, they owed much to stand-in 'keeper Kate Riggs who pulled off a series of exceptional saves to help keep the score down against a physical Havant side. Andover never really got into the game in the first half but improved in the second with Emma Boswell, making a welcome return, netting a consolation goal from a cross by skipper Emma Hall. Suzi Mitchell was unlucky not to have added a second goal after running the full length of the pitch - one of a number of attempts Andover had but were unable to finish.

Andover Ladies 2nd XI: Riggs, Mitchell, Hall (capt), Fish, Cripps, Boswell, Crawford, Llloyd, Peebles, Rosenhead, Cubitt.