Bemerton HH 1, Andover 5

ALL-CONQUERING Andover took over top spot in the Jewson Wessex League for the first time this season last Saturday after gaining their third away win in five days - leaving the title race firmly in their own hands.

The Lions' 200th victory in the JWL came in a match that should have been over as a contest by half time.

Defending that owed more to luck than judgement kept Bemerton in the game but four goals in 25 minutes in the second half left the Wiltshire side wishing their season was already over.

Ironically, it could have gone wrong for the Lions as early as the second minute. Bemerton's first attack brought goal-line clearances from Paul Freeman and then skipper Danny Barker as the Lions struggled to clear their lines.

Andover soon settled and Matt Bicknell almost marked his 200th club appearance with a goal after nine minutes. His 25 yard blast was pushed away but from Vince Rusher's resulting corner Andy Forbes hovered over the Bemerton defenders before planting a pin- point header into the net.

The Lions forced a multitude of corners and the home defending was ragged. When the home side did venture towards the Andover goal they offered little threat against the uncompromising defending of Barker and the returning Glen Damen.

The second half was largely a repeat of the first but this time the free scoring Lions punished a tiring defence with Vince Rusher latching onto Paul Odey's intelligent flick to lob the Bemerton 'keeper for the Lions second goal.

Asker, who ran his socks off all afternoon was the Lionss man-of-the-match, grabbed a fully deserved goal to make it 3-0. with another exquisite chip. His overall performance was madeall the more remarkable when it emerged that he had spent the previous night in hospital after an accident at home.

Six minutes after Asker's goal Lloyd Webber beat a poorly organised offside tray to set up Paul Odey , who came on for Forbes at the start of the second half, to score the Lions' four goal before Palmer grabbed a consolation for the home side.

To their credit the Lions, in the middle of a run of seven games in 14 days, did not sit back and adopt a what we have posture.

Asker again when close before a Webber's powerful effort was pushed away by an overworked Bemerton 'keeper. The return of Vince Rusher gave the Lions much more impetus up front and it was appropriated that he should score the final goal, laid on not surprisingly by the will-o-wisp Asker.

Andover (4-4-2): Drake; Freeman, Barker, Damen, Bicknell; Asker, Webber, Walsh, Dyke; Forbes, Rusher. Subs: Kennedy (for Walsh 77 mins), Crossley (for Damon 77 mins), Odey (for Forbes 46 mins).