Andover 2 Winchester City 3

For the second time this season, City travelled to the Portway Stadium overturned a two-goal deficit to secure a victory. Reverting back to a full strength side with the exception of the injured Danny Smith and Toby Redwood, City were second best for the opening period to an Andover side that were clearly in no mood to be beaten by City for a fourth time this campaign.

Twice in the opening minutes Andover came close to troubling City keeper Simon Arthur with their shoot on site approach. Score Andover did on eighteen minutes. A sweetly struck drive from thirty yards by Vinny Rusher caught Arthur off his line as Rushers shot dipped below the bar and City were behind.

City’s attempts to claw the goal back saw a long kick by Arthur flicked on by Ian Mancey but Andrew Forbes shot just wide. Andover saw their danger man Justin Bennett firing just over. Stewart Lang had a header from a corner saved by Andover goalkeeper Colin Hopkins, then Forbes turned on the ball in the box beating two defenders in doing so, laying the ball back across goal for Matthew Bicknell who saw his shot saved by Hopkins. Shaun Dyke beat his marked Callum Earl and swung over a right foot cross that saw Forbes shoot over but the interval arrived with City still a goal behind.

Nine minutes into the second half and Andover added their second goal. Bennett making his 100th appearance for Andover was bundled over by Mark Blake and with referee Gordon Ashworth awarding a penalty, Bennett struck the ball home.

City this time tried to reduce the arrears Gary Green burst through the Andover defence but saw his shot go wide, but City did score on sixty-one minutes. Former Andover winger clipping a shot from the edge of the box over the unsuspecting Hopkins and City were only a goal behind. Forbes outpaced the home defence and raced into the box, being clipped by Andover keeper Hopkins, which saw referee Ashworth wave away all City’s penalty appeals but instead cautioned Forbes for gamesmanship.

Manager Neil Hards threw caution away as he went for a point. Withdrawing defender Blake and midfielder Gary Green replacing with Steve Tate and Kevin Brewster, City played with only two recognised defenders. How the gamble paid off. Eighty four minutes played Forbes shot from just outside the box bounced in front of the diving Hopkins then struck the post before ending up in the net and City were level.

Gavin Richards had a header saved for Andover as both sides went for an all-important third goal. Hopkins denied Forbes again but with the game in their third minute of stoppage time and City with all bodies in the box including their third substitute David Goss, Liam Green floated a ball into the area from a free kick. He ball arrived at the far side of the box to Forbes who coolly controlled the ball on his chest before planting a shot wide of Hopkins into the net for his 50th league goal of the season. There was still time for Arthur to have to make a save from Sam Rae but City held on for three points.

City : Arthur, Dyke, Bicknell, Hall, Lang, Blake (Brewster 79), Webber, G Green (Tate 79), Mancey (Goss 90), Forbes, L Green