After pressure back-to-back away wins at AFC Portchester and league leaders Moneyfields, Winchester City’s Sydenhams Premier Division title charge was knocked back by a 3-2 home defeat against local rivals Andover Town at the Denplan City ground this afternoon.

City keeper Gareth Barfoot drew the short straw of facing a bright setting sun in the opening stages but, handily, most of the early play was concentrated in the other half.

Winchester’s Geoff Dunn, again replacing the injured Warren Bentley, had an early shot charged down, there were unheeded appeal for handball when Charlie Smeeton’s blast was blocked and then Dunn delivered a dangerous looking cross from the right which was marginally too high.

But totally against the run of play, it was Andover who snatched the lead on ten minutes courtesy of an error by the home side.

Adam Tomasso was the guilty party – his weak back header allowing Andover’s Oliver Yates to nip in and lob the stranded Barfoot.

In the 18th minute it was City’s turn to pounce on a mistake as lively leftback Josh Green intercepted a loose pass.

He played in Zach Glasspool, who back heeled it into the path of Chris Mason, but the midfielder drilled his shot wide.

Josh Green’s willingness to get forward almost paid off when he played in Glasspool on the left of the area, but the striker’s first-time shot was gathered by Jake Wellersly-Davies in the visitor’s goal under pressure from Scott Sampson.

Once again it was all City until another slack moment almost cost them. Skipper Stuart Green was uncharacteristically muscled off the ball by his opposite number Toby McCauley, who sent powerhouse ex-City front man Michael Dixon bursting away down the right. He, in turn, found Lewis Benson who in looking for the far corner, struck his shot onto the top netting.

But City didn’t learn their lesson and on 27 minutes found themselves 2-0.

Dixon’s strength again caused problem as he skipped past a couple of defenders on the right of the City area before squaring for Benson to sweep the ball low past Barfoot.

On the half-hour City were adamant Benson should see red for a late challenge that left Micky Hubbard requiring lengthy treatment, but the Andover man escaped with a yellow.

Town’s Danny Urry was next in the book for a foul on Mason whose free-kick found Sampson who looped a free header over.

It almost got worse for City as the half drew to a close with McCauley firing inches wide after more uncertainty in the home defence and Barfoot getting solidly behind Yates’ strike from wide right.

City came out buoyed up for the second half and cut the deficit on 58 minutes when Hubbard delivered a free kick from the left and, amid a scrum of players, Stuart Green stabbed the ball home.

But just when it looked as if that would be their avenue back into the game, Andover stunned them with a third goal three minutes later.

Substitute Adam Roberts was booked for a foul on the visitors’ right flank and Yates left the 191 crowd gobsmacked as he unleashed a superb free kick that sailed over Barfoot into the far corner.

City continued to have the bulk of possession but, with Dixon’s pace and power a constant threat, Andover always looked dangerous on the break.

City stuck with it, however, and their patient passing paid dividends when, following good work on the left of the area, Dunn delivered the ball in for substitute Danilo Cadete – on for Smeeton – to fire home from close range.

With the referee seemingly intent on booking every player on the park, a keenly contested game became increasingly stop-start, but City pushed ever closer to an equaliser.

Dunn burst through one-on-one but sent his shot wide and then Cadete was denied from close range.

They went closer still when Sampson rattled the cross bar with a header from a corner.

Given the high number of bookings, it seemed inevitable that the game wouldn’t end 11 versus 11 – and so it transpired.

With three minutes of normal time remaining Sampson tangled with Town’s Alex Dockree and the referee sent them both off, leaving both players mystified by the decision.

As the game opened up there were chances at both ends but Andover held on for victory.