Lions 3 Amesbury Town 2.

A CLASSIC headed goal by Bobby Swayne seconds from the end gave the Lions a place in the next round of the Russell Cotes Cup at a misty Portway Stadium on Tuesday night.

It was hard on battling Wessex League Division One side Amesbury Town who had gone into the break 2-1 up and had given a reshuffled home side plenty to think about. They lost two players through injury inside 15 minutes but held Andover until a frantic last five minutes of the first half.

Jason Sangha scrambled home the opener following a corner on 40 minutes then four minutes later Town levelled with a similar effort as on loan Lion Daryl Charman prodded the ball home.

The half was still not done and just on the whistle Lions’ keeper Josh Cottrell pushed away a firce cross and the ball hit Charman and went in to give the Wiltshire side the lead. Lions hit back with the best move of the game ten minutes after the break when the ball was moved from right to left and Kyle Joryeff got to the byline and squared the ball for substitute Lee Burch to knock home.

Amesbury became less of a threat as the game wore on and with extra-time looming a corner reached Swayne at the far post and Lions were through.

Team: Cottrell, Keogh, Swayne, Sangha, Richardson, Langfrey, Nicholl, Sadler, Wright, Green, Joryeff.

Subs: Melledew, Burch, Herbert, Andrews, Tasker.

Tomorrow Lions are home again to Abingdon United who went second in the table on Tuesday when they won 2-0 at Mangotsfield United.

On Sunday the U18 side have a County Cup tie with Romsey Town at the Portway, ko 2pm where admission is free.

On Tuesday night Lions are once again home, this time to Farnborough in the rearranged Southern League Cup tie, ko 7.45pm. Admission for this one is offered as a two for one deal.