Derby win keeps Andover hopes alive

Third placed Andover kept their outside Hampshire/Surrey Regional Division 2 promotion hopes alive when they completed the double over Winchester II, whom they beat 2-1 at Kings'.   
Winchester carried most threat in the opening minutes and it was with the run of play when Stuart Swift deftly-diverted Matt Stokes's fierce cross from an Ed Player pass to give the city side the lead.
Andover, behind London Edwardians and Oxted in the log, looked most dangerous with strong runs through the centre, but danger was usually dealt-with.
The turning point was an almost farcical ten seconds of panic in the Winchester defence which gave Andover a penalty stroke duly converted by Olly Bridge.
As Winchester's confidence slowly subsided, Andover's grew, giving Winchester's most-skilled players no time on the ball and they failed to build consistent pressure.
One attacking move saw Winchester over-commit players and Andover broke quickly, shifting the ball swiftly between forwards, Dan Allen providing the final touch from a great move.
Winchester threw everything at the robust Andover defence in the closing minutes and the home team thought they had their equaliser from a penalty corner when former Andover man Andy Winnett scooped the ball over the keeper only to see Olly Bridge clear off the line. 
It's certainly been a case of After Eight's for Romsey since Christmas.
Just seven days after trouncing Addiscombe 8-4 to record their best ever Hampshire/Surrey Regional Division win, they were thumped 8-2 by Old Cranleighians.
Romsey remain six points above Southampton, who dropped deeper into the Division 2 mire with a 1-0 defeat to table topping London Edwardians.