Lymington & NM 3 - Andover 3 (After extra time. Lymington won 4-2 on penalties)

Lymington & New Milton are bringing the experienced Tony Gerrard out of Wessex League retirement to play the role of Scrooge this Christmas.

Although the Linnets look an irresistible attacking force at times, they are guilty of over-generosity at the back and manager Ian Robinson is turning to his old AFC Totton charge Gerrard to shore things up.

Saturday's Hampshire Senior Cup third round tie against Andover illustrated precisely why the New Forest club are crying out for some height and authority at the back.

After 45 minutes of near blanket domination against their north Hampshire visitors, the Linnets carelessly threw away a two-goal half-time advantage and fell behind in extra-time before finally putting a marathon tie to bed in a penalty shoot-out.

Two of Andover's goals emanated from corners and Robinson confessed: "I've lost count of the number of goals we concede from crosses. A decent ball into the box undoes us.

"We need a presence at the back and Tony Gerrard will cut out those situations."

Robinson originally signed Gerrard for Totton from Eastleigh and the towering defender went on to form a rock-solid defensive partnership with Kevin Murphy at Testwood Park.

"I don't think Tony's been anywhere since leaving Totton," said Robinson. "He's been playing Sunday football with Woolston T&L."

Andover, under the new charge of former Bemerton Heath Harlequins reserve manager Brian Le Boutillier, almost drowned under a torrent of first-half attacks.

John Bailey was the architect of the Foresters' 26th-minute opener, picking out borrowed Salisbury City striker Aaron Turner to coolly slip his shot under 'keeper Colin Hopkins.

Time and time again Lymington managed to unlock Andover's defence, but it was three minutes into first-half stoppage time before they struck again when the outstanding Trefor Smith danced past two defenders on the edge of the box before beating Hopkins.

The turning point for Robinson was losing midfield maestro Bailey on 48 minutes with a recurrence of a calf strain. With an important FA Vase tie at home to Buckingham Town coming up next Saturday, the Linnets boss chose to withdraw his former AFC Bournemouth linchpin to save him for bigger battles ahead.

"We took a calculated gamble taking John off because we need him for next week. But losing him today changed everything," he said.

"John was so influential in the first half. He gives the side balance and is very, very good at shutting people down and nicking possession. The number of times he manages to get the ball is incredible."

Only a week earlier the Linnets had surrendered a half-time lead against Andover in a 3-1 Wessex League defeat at The Portway Stadium. It was a similar story on Saturday as Vince Rusher levelled matters with a 58th-minute free kick awarded against Lee Hodder for leaning on Justin Bennett.

Six minutes later, Rusher's corner created havoc in the Linnets defence and Gavin Richards headed on for substitute Danny Sullivan to slot in the equaliser.

It could have been worse for the Linnets, but goalkeeper Alan Walker-Harris managed to tip Rusher's 66th-minute shot onto the foot of the post.

The tie then descended into stop-start disarray with Petersfield referee John Davies sharpening his pencil for another spate of bookings which ultimately saw eight players cautioned - four from each side.

Lymington put in a last-gasp burst of action and almost seized victory in stoppage time when substitute Jon Mulhern clattered the bar.

The former Winchester City man then missed a sitter two minutes into extra-time before Andover nosed in front with a looping header from Sam Rae.

But, with 103 minutes on the clock, 'keeper Hopkins took out the lively Mulhern on the edge of the box and Darren Curtis blasted home what was to be the first of his two penalty successes.

By the time he stepped up to the spot again in the shootout, Dean Cole's wild blast over the bar had already put Andover in arrears after Kevin James's assured opener for the Linnets.

Curtis's first attempt was saved by Hopkins, but referee Davies ruled that the 'keeper had moved and the former Totton and Salisbury defender made no mistake at the second time of asking.

Successful kicks by Bennett and Rae of Andover and Turner and Mulhern of Lymington put the pressure squarely on Glen Damen's shoulders. The Lions skipper had missed a penalty in the previous week's league encounter and, unfortunately for him, he again skied it over to send Lymington through 4-2.