Lions leave the Oystermen all at Sea

Lions made the long haul ( though for this correspondent it was only 30 miles further than Portland !) to Whitstable on the southern reaches of the Thames Estuary on Saturday where a competent and committed performance saw them take another step along this season?s FA Vase trail. The respective league tables suggested that Lions would have the edge in the goalscoring stakes and so it proved in a game where the visitors were never headed but equally could never afford to rest on their laurels.

Andover commenced with the same starting line up as Tuesday but added Dave Tasker and Rob Dixon to the bench and both sides opened cautiously with the game mainly in the midfield area where home player-manager Mark Seager, an FA Vase winner with Deal Town, was always prominent. Lions posed the first threat with a determined run and cross from David Asker but Peter Kingman failed to make proper contact on the far post and then Asker was just wide with a shot that had the home keeper scrambling across his goal. The home side responded strongly with Glen Damen blocking an effort from Harrison, Colin Hopkins saving well from Parker and Constable firing high and wide when well placed. Ashley Vine was harshly booked for a challenge on the keeper, though previous challenges in midfield may have come into the equation, before Andover took the lead in the 28^th minute with a goal that owed a lot to Justin Bennett?s predatory skills and something to Hickson in the home goal. Awarded a free kick just outside the D Danny Lewis?s effort cleared the wall but bounced back off the keeper?s knees and Bennett was light years ahead of the home defence to pounce on the loose ball. Andover then lost Callum Earl through injury necessitating Peter Kingman making the long haul from left wing to right back, Mark Keogh switching flanks and Jaz Chahal taking over the wide left berth. Bennett had a shot saved at full stretch before the home side posed their first real threat. Kingman was unlucky to be pulled up for a foul on Knight - contact seemed minimal - and even more unlucky to be booked by the youthful referee who, cautions apart, had a good game and Seager rattled the bar from all of twenty five yards from the free kick. Constable joined the list of cautions after a bout of petulance before Lions increased the lead five minutes before the break when Bennett got above his marker to head the ball on and Phil Andrews coolly slipped the ball past the advancing keeper. Damen then had one of his surging runs, defying anybody to tackle him, only to see his shot saved but with the halftime tea already on the table the home side struck. Lewis missed his challenge and Parker?s long cross from the left was headed home by Perona at the far post.

Despite kicking down the slight slope in the second half Andover found themselves under early pressure with Weir too high with an almost free header before the energy of Asker and Chahal put them on the front foot again. Vine was wide with a header and an inviting Chahal cross evaded everybody though they overcame a scare at the other end when Constable rounded Hopkins only for Damen to block his effort from a narrow angle. With thirteen minutes gone the lead became two as Kingman sent Chahal clear on the left and Andrews converted the cross at the near post. Whitstable?s policy of playing two wide players had caused problems all afternoon and Knight missed badly when offered a clear shot on goal but after a short delay when clearances from both sides meant a temporary lack of footballs Andrews was inches wide with a free kick. Matt Styles replaced Lewis and although Knight missed again in the dying seconds the visitor?s defence, superbly led and marshalled by Damen, with Bobby Swayne a willing ally, held out without undue bother and the largest cheer of the afternoon from the home fans came when one of their number fell over when retrieving a loose ball ! Ryan Boare replaced Andrews just in time to shake hands at the end and Andover can be pleased with their win in unknown territory. In pure footballing terms they have played better but Cup matches away from home need effort and commitment to back up the skill factor and both of those requirements were shown to the full. A most enjoyable day all round in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

Hopkins: Keough, Damen, Swayne and Earl : Lewis, Asker, Vine and Kingman: Bennett and Andrews.