ANDOVER were the big winners of Easter Monday’s possibly crucial relegation battle at bottom club Winchester City.

The win moves Mick Catlin’s Lions up to 39 points – seven clear of Bracknell and Taunton and eight ahead of Winchester as City’s four-match unbeaten run under new manager Shaun Brooks came to grief in front of a 286 Bank Holiday crowd at the Denplan City Ground.

Andover took the lead after just seven minutes when a shot by City old boy Mat Jones deflected in off defender Nathan Peprah-Annan for an own goal.

That was how it stayed until the 73rd minute when Bobby Swayne made it 2-0 to the Lions from the penalty spot after Stuart Gates had been upended.

Skipper Peprah-Annan halved the deficit with a minute of normal time remaining following a long throw, but it was too little too late for Winchester who now have just three games to save themselves.

Andover boss Catlin reflected: “It was quite a comfortable win. I was expecting a much tougher game.

“We had to win today – both teams did – but sometimes when there’s pressure on players to perform, it doesn’t always happen. The pitch was hard and bobbly, so it wasn’t great to watch. But performances don’t matter as long as you get the results.

“We’ve got 39 points now and I want to make sure we get over 40. That should be enough to see us through.”

With Taunton also losing and Bracknell not playing on the day, it’s as you were in the bottom three.

City remain a point adrift of the other two going into this Saturday’s crucial home game against Uxbridge.

City drew 2-2 at play-off chasing Didcot on Saturday, 25-year-old former Gillingham marksman Jones Awuah, pictured left, scoring in the 89th and 90th minutes to rescue a point.

Saluting Awuah’s never-say-die attitude, team boss Shaun Brooks said: “Jones works so hard and deserves all the good fortune that comes his way.

“I had him at Dorchester and he’s always had a fantastic attitude.

“In all the games he’s scored in, he’s played the whole 90 minutes. Slowly but surely defenders get tired and Jones just keeps going.

“He’s hot at the moment and he’s leading by example.”

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