Andover II 27 Basingstoke III 0.

SSI Schaefer sponsored Andover Hinds welcomed Basingstoke III to Goodship Park.

This local derby is always hard fought and in recent times Andover have done the better. They won the toss and played up the pitch and from the kick the forwards drove hard and for the first ten minutes dominated play, but Basingstoke held firm.

A mistake gave Basingstoke a chance but equally resolute defence repelled the attack and this was the pattern for much of the time, as Andover dominated in the scrum with hooker Paul Baxter taking several against the head and Ricky Caffrey causing havoc in the lineout.

With strong running from Pete Barlow and Richie Grunsell and newcomer Pete Shipp cutting through the centre The Basingstoke defence had to give, but Andover could only muster three points from a penalty by Simon Tedridge.

Then midway through the half the ball was spun wide to Tedridge to score and the half ended 8-0. After 20 minutes of the second half Craig Runciman released winger Leon Taylor who scored in the corner, but again the try went unconverted. This seemed to give Andover the kick they needed and Alec McNair drove over, after picking up from the base of the scrum and this time Tedridge converted.

Soon after Runciman found himself with a easy run into to score, again Tedridge converted.

Reports, pictures and fictures in Friday's Advertiser.