Portsmouth men’s 1st team continued in their winning way this week beating Andover 3-1.
Andover, who finished 3rd in this league last season, arrived in a confident mood thinking’s they were getting an easy game against newly promoted Portsmouth.
The game started hard and fast with both sides moving the ball around at pace, testing each other out. After some early pressure and failing to make 4 penalty corners tell, Andover were punished by Portsmouth who converted their first penalty corner of the game, Stu Avery slotting home his second in 2 games from a neatly work routine.

1-0 at the break.

Shortly after the break Andover pulled a goal back, one of their players finding themselves free at the edge of the circle and hammering home the equaliser.
Not to be kept down Portsmouth kept up the pressure and the simple but fast play and were rewarded with a penalty corner which Pete Hayward slammed into the bottom corner from a straight strike at the top of the circle. 2-1.
Andover were not happy with the way the game was going and their frustrations started to show with back talk to the umpires and they had players carded for their trouble.
With 10 minutes to go Portsmouth broke away from the midfield battle, Avery, Bollam and Palmer linking up sublimely to punish Andover a 3rd time. An open play move finished by Palmer who dived full length to tip in at the post.
With 2 minutes left on the clock Portsmouth were under pressure and Freddie steel, the baby faced assassin, landed a hatchet on an Andover player and was shown a yellow card, putting him in the sin bin for the rest of the game. Portsmouth survived the final storm to see the game out 3-1, 2 wins from 2 in the new league. A stern test today but tougher games ahead...