ANDOVER Town narrowly missed out on promotion from the Wessex Premier League despite thrashing Fareham 5-0 thanks to a hat-trick from milestone man Alex Dockree.

The midfielder netted three times on his 100th appearance for the club to help end Town's impressive season with a win.

However with promotion rivals Blackfield and Langley and Sholing both recording victories this weekend, Town's ambitions of snatching a Southern League place next season were finally ended with the club confined to a respectable fourth place finish.

Andover went into the game needing a big win to overturn their goal difference deficit should their fellow promotion hopefuls slip up.

And Town set out their intentions from the off, opening the scoring after just four minutes.

Charlie Gunson quickly burst past his defender to the byline before pulling a pass back to England Schoolboy star Adam Grange in the middle of the area.

The young winger's shot was deflected out to the feet of Dockree on the edge of the area and the midfielder fired home for his first of the afternoon.

Captain Lewis Benson added a second on 20 minutes, picking up a pass from Grange and jinking inside a defender before curling a shot into the far corner of the net.

Just four minutes later Dockree doubled his tally to put Town 3-0 up.

Winger Sammy Pekun latched on to a pass down the right hand side before crossing to Dockree who powered a header past Luke Douglas.

Andover Advertiser:

(Sammy Pekun goes shoulder-to-shoulder with a Fareham defender)


A bumper crowd of around 180 people, including youngster's from the club's academy, cheered as Town took their comfortable lead into half time.

Andover quickly continued their goal glut after half time, scoring just five minutes after the restart.

Gunson and Grange linked up once more and this time Grange fired home to score his first goal for the club.

Dockree completed his hat-trick, and the scoring, on the hour mark.

A cross into the area fell to the feet of the midfielder, who calmly slotted the ball past Douglas to secure the match ball.

Sparsholt academy youngsters Ibrahim Olutade and Kris Oti replaced Grange and Dockree as Town continued to push for further goals.

Both substitutes went close while Pekun was denied by two excellent saves from Douglas, who did well to keep Town out once more.

As the game drew to a close news filtered through of Blackfield's late winner at Whitchurch and Sholing's 2-0 win at Fawley.

Both results mean Town will finish fourth place this season, regardless of the league's remaining fixtures.

Meanwhile Blackfield and Langley face Fareham this week, with a win securing a second placed finish and likely promotion for the Watersiders.