ANDOVER Town took another stride towards the Sydenhams Premier Division title against bottom club Petersfield Town on Saturday – but only after they had been given almighty scare by the Rams’ Luke Kendall.

On an afternoon when the league leaders were hosting Andover Town Community Day at the Portway Stadium, Kendall filled his boots with a first-half hat-trick before his side eventually succumbed 5-3 to Glenn Burnett’s pedigree crew.

Kendall opened his account with a free-kick to put Petersfield in front and, much to Andover’s dismay, he was then adjudged to have been brought down by Joe Wright inside the area and got up to bury the spot kick for 2-0.

Luke Dempsey stabbed home following a Micky Hubbard free-kick to pull the high-riding hosts back into it and it wasn’t long before George Hallahan levelled from Mike Gosney's assist.

But just as the table-topping north Hampshire side could start to breathe easily again, Petersfield won a free kick in exactly the same location as their first goal was scored from and Kendall stepped up to net a carbon-copy strike and send the underdogs in 3-2 up at the break.

With some half-time home truths no doubt ringing in their ears, Andover took the game by the scuff of the neck after the break with Hallahan almost instantly levelling from another well-placed Gosney cross.

But it took until the 78th minute for them to get their noses in front when Gosney spectacularly found the top corner with a free-kick from 40 yards.

The last word went to sub Zach Glasspool who slotted away number five from Jason Silver’s assist.

Andover could have done without the scares along the way, but manager Burnett said: “Another three good points today.

“We found ourselves 2-0 down in the early stages of the game, but kept patient and played some fantastic football in tough conditions to get the win.

“Thanks to the 228 fans that turned up to watch in the rain.”

Town can expect to be tested again tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) when Michael Birmingham’s Horndean are the Portway guests.