NEW signing George Hallahan was Saturday’s match-clinching hero for Andover Town – the Sydenhams Premier Division’s last remaining unbeaten side.

The former Basingstoke Town marksman went straight into the squad following his midweek arrival from Tadley Calleva and popped up with the 86th-minute decider in a 3-2 home win over AFC Portchester.

It extended the north Hampshire club’s unbeaten start to ten games on an afternoon when leaders Blackfield & Langley tasted defeat for the first time at Lymington Town.

A crowd in excess of 200 turned out on Non-League Day and were treated to arguably the best match seen at The Portway Stadium this season.

After a strong start from Ian Saunders’ Portchester, Andover snatched a 13th-minute lead against the run of play – Zach Glasspool left in acres of space to take the ball round former Eastleigh goalkeeper Lewis Noice.

An equaliser looked inevitable and it duly arrived on the half-hour courtesy of Tom Scott following a poorly-timed clearance.

Andover didn’t learn their lesson and were punished again as Joe Bye struck from an acute angle to put the Royals 2-1 up.

Micky Hubbard rattled the post for the home side on the stroke of half-time – a prelude to an incident-packed second period.

The drama began when Noice could only parry Reece Rusher’s fierce shot and was deemed to have brought down Joe Chamberlain as they challenged for the rebound. The normally lethal Glasspool missed the subsequent penalty.

Noice remained the busier of the two ’keepers and found himself up against another spot kick – awarded for handball – with 15 minutes remaining.

This time Hubbard stepped up to take it and, although Noice went the right way, the power of the shot beat him.

With four minutes remaining, substitute Hallahan completed the Andover turnaround. Receiving the ball on the halfway line, he determinedly held off a challenge and raced clear to beat Noice one-on-one.

Andover’s first ever win over Portchester leaves them six points adrift of table-topping Blackfield with three games in hand.

Glenn Burnett’s men will attempt to halve that gap tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) when they visit 16th-placed Shaftesbury, who were soundly beaten 4-1 at Cowes Sports.

The Yachtsmen ran first-half riot through John McKie (2), Jimmy Wykes and Connor Furmidge before Harry Beckley replied.

Cowes' neighbours Newport IW came a cropper 3-1 at Bashley having taken the lead from a Charlie Urry free-kick.

Bash, who had recent signing Brad Strickland from Lymington Town on defensive midfield duties, hit back almost instantly through Kabba Jack who then doubled his tally at the start of the second half.

Conor Whiteley, on for the tiring Strickland, made the points safe with Bashley's third.

Newport host Horndean tomorrow, while Bash head for a big New Forest derby at Lymington Town.