ANDOVER’S interest in the Sydenhams Football League Cup ended in the third round at a rain sodden Portway on Tuesday when a spirited fightback in the last quarter failed to overturn a first half deficit caused in large part by their own defensive frailties.

They were behind as early as the seventh minute when Jack Slade was brought down by keeper Mark Childs – who escaped without even a caution – and Graham Mankin slotted home the resulting penalty.

Cameron Hough embarked on a personal duel with visiting keeper Mark Frampton with three shots saved in quick succession and Lewis Benson struck a post after neatly creating space for himself in the area.

The visitors increased their lead on the half hour when Slade fastened on to the loose ball, giving Scott Joyce an easy tap in. Five minutes later it was three as the keeper parried a Neil Williams shot from the edge of the area and Joyce rected quickest to turn the ball into the net.

Andover were guilty too often of giving the ball away in midfield and Williams headed a Slade cross wide before the half finished with Frampton turning a long range Dockree effort round the post.

Andover, obviously stirred up at the break, were quickly into action on the restart with Benson, at the heart of everything , denied by Frampton and Hough too high after Danny Urry had made the space.

Mike Dixon replaced Dockree midway through the half and the substitution proved fruitful almost immediately as the burly striker beat Frampton low to his right from the edge of the area.

The same player turned a Hough cross over the bar from close range and was too straight with a header as Bemerton, who had looked in control of the game, were forced on the defensive.

Substitutes came on at will for both sides and as the rain increased the home side narrowed the gap in the last minute as keeper and defence left a cross to each other and Olly Yates nipped in to score.

With the referee somehow finding eight minutes of stoppage time – during which a touchline melee saw four yellow cards shared equally between the sides – the finish was frantic to say the least, but Andover could not find the all-important third goal.

Neil Benson will surely be pleased with his side’s second half comeback and credit to all for the superb state of the pitch on a night when many games were postponed, but there was disappointment at the size of the crowd.