VICTORIOUS manager Neil Hards has warned clubs to get real over their offers for Andy Forbes after watching his 24-year-old goal machine score twice as favourites Winchester City powered into semi-finals of the FA Vase.

Truth to tell, Saturday's all-Wessex League clash against Andover fell short of expectations for a record Denplan City Ground crowd of 933.

From the moment Ian Mancey's spectacular overhead kick hit the back of the net to make it 2-0 after 14 minutes, there was little doubt that it would be City's name going into the hat when Leicester striker Les Ferdinand makes the draw at Soho Square today.

But what this wind-swept tie lacked in cliffhanging suspense, it made up for with some quality goals - not least Forbes's sizzling solo effort that made it 4-0 in the 52nd minute.

Ever since bursting on to the Wessex scene with Andover, Forbes has been feared for his razor-sharp finishing and aerial prowess. Pace has been a lesser-known weapon in his armoury, yet the speed with which he sprinted from inside his own half before coolly clipping his shot past 'keeper Colin Hopkins was simply awesome.

That and his first-half penalty awarded for Callum Earl's tug on Shaun Dyke made it a mind-boggling 64 goals for Forbes in just 38 matches this season.

Small wonder then that if manager Hards had his way he'd slap an £80,000 price tag on the former Reading trainee's head.

Several clubs (AFC Bournemouth and Forest Green Rovers are rumoured to be among them) have made tentative inquiries about the striker, but City are adamant that they will only listen to serious offers.

Hards said: "It's in Andy's interest to play at a higher level and I'd never stand in the way of a player progressing, but I'm not going to be bullied into letting him go for trials here and there.

"If people want to see what he can do, they can come here and watch him and if they're still interested they can put their money up front and we'll talk - but it would take a massive amount for him to go.

"I don't know what price the club value him at, but I personally would look at £80,000. People may laugh, but I've played professional and Conference football and this lad's a quality centre-forward who will score goals at any level he plays.

"What's the benefit of us taking £15,000? We'd need to replace him, but what with? A club phoned me last week offering money and, when I turned them down, they said I was stopping him progressing. I'm not, but if people want him they've got to make a sensible offer.

"We've got a good squad of young players here with people like Forbesy, Danny Smith and Lloyd Webber, so clubs are bound to come in."

Having won the toss, City had the wind advantage in the first half and it was former AFC Bournemouth professional Smith who fired them ahead from their first real opening of the game.

Forbes was the provider with a tenth-minute cross from the right and the 21-year-old skipper smacked it home on the half-volley at the near post - a piece of woodwork he was later to clatter with a free kick.

Fellow midfielder Webber also got in on the scoring act with City's 79th-minute fifth, controlling an awkwardly bouncing ball before drilling home a low, angled shot from the left of the area. By that time Forbes had limped off with a recurrence of calf cramp and Mancey - back in action after a spell in hospital with cellulitis - had gone off to rest his tired limbs.

Andover's best spells came at the start of each half. With the tie just four minutes old, their top scorer, Justin Bennett, sprayed the ball out to the left where the versatile Sam Rea made ground into the box before falling at the crucial moment as Shaun Dyke challenged.

The Lions should have scored in the 47th minute but Vinny Rusher scooped a left-foot volley over and then City 'keeper Simon Arthur dived at his near post to keep out Gavin Richards' effort.

Bennett finally caught City's defence napping in stoppage time to tuck away his 33rd goal of the season, but it was scant consolation for the Lions who were still seething at the dismissal of their skipper Glen Damen a couple of minutes earlier.

The former Newbury and Thatcham defender was shown a straight red for tugging back Winchester substitute Steve Tate.

By the letter of the law it was a professional foul, but Andover boss Brian Le Boutillier felt the sending-off was totally unnecessary at that stage of the game.

He said: "The referee should have shown some common sense. There were two minutes to go and we were 5-0 down. He said he had no option, but I think he did.

"By showing Glen the red card, he humiliated a lad who has graced the Wessex League for many years. It wasn't as if Glen scythed the player down. It was six of one and half a dozen of the other and nothing more than a tug of the shirt.

"Good luck to Winchester, I hope they win the Vase, but Glen's sending-off spoilt a big occasion for us."

For jubilant City, victory has taken them one step further than last season when, as a Hampshire League side, they bowed out 1-0 in the quarter-finals at Oadby Town.