HORNDEAN will roll up at Sholing tomorrow evening (Tuesday, 7.45pm) with a 100 per cent Sydenhams Premier Division record to defend.

Michael Birmingham’s side made it nine points out of nine with a 3-0 home win over Bournemouth Poppies, courtesy of Connor Duffin (penalty), Miles Everett and Ash Howes.

Sholing – many people’s title favourites – will have a point to prove against their high-riding visitors.

The Boatmen turned in an unusually lacklustre performance on Saturday as they slumped to a 3-1 defeat against a well-organised Andover Town side, who looked sharper all round.

Andover skipper Liam Gilbert opened the scoring with a fierce 25-yard drive and almost repeated the feat with a shot that whistled wide.

But, deservedly, Town doubled their lead on 25 minutes when Reece Rusher cut in from the right and drove the ball across Sholing ’keeper Ryan Gosney into the far corner.

The Boatmen reduced the deficit with the half-hour mark approaching when Byron Mason headed home a Micky Hubbard corner and, at that point, the visitors looked like getting back into the game.

But in the 45th minute Andover struck lucky when, in blocking a shot, Jack Smith was penalised for handball while trying to protect his face, and the referee pointed to the spot.

To rub salt in Sholing wounds it was one of their former players, Zach Glasspool, who blasted home to restore Town’s two-goal lead.

McAulie Stubbs denied Dan Mason with a goalline clearance and that set the tone for a frustrating second half for Sholing who found it hard to break down an Andover defence well marshalled by another ex-Boatman Luke Dempsey.

Glenn Burnett’s Andover are up to fourth spot with a maximum six points out of six ahead of tonight's (Monday) scheduled trip to rock-bottom Team Solent.

The under-strength Southampton Solent University outfit continued a punishing start to the campaign with a 3-0 defeat at AFC Portchester, leaving them empty-handed after three games.