A NEW look Andover Lions side continued their encouraging start to pre-season with a comfortable 5-1 win over QK Southampton.

Manager John Smith gave Darren Paris, Jamie Pollard and Jazz Beavis their first starts of the season while new signing Tommy Stringer also made his debut in midfield.

Parris was involved early on in the match as he set new signing Shane Lock through from a quickly taken free kick.

The prolific striker made no mistake and calmly placed it past QK’s keeper to put Lions 1-0 up after 12 minutes.

Debutant Stringer also grabbed his first goal for Lions five minutes later with a tidy volley from inside the box.

Lock then doubled his tally three minutes later to put his side 3-0 inside 20 minutes and cap an impressive start to the match for Lions.

QK rarely troubled the Lions’ defence and Bennett and Keogh looked comfortable dealing with anything that came their way.

Yates and Beavis stretched their opponents down the flanks and continued to look dangerous before the Jazz Beavis returned to first team action for Andover Lions referee called time on the first half.

After the break Robbie Owen and Jake Smith were introduced while there was a welcome return for Sam Pike who has been out of action for over twelve months since breaking his leg last summer at Shrewton.

Pollard scored a fourth when he found himself unmarked in the box from a Yates corner but QK dug deep to keep the scoreline at a respectable level despite a continual onslaught from Lions throughout the second half.

Alex Wright continued to pull the strings in midfield and chances came and went for all of the Lions’ forward line and midfield amidst some heroic goalkeeping and last ditch tackles.

Despite the onslaught QK pulled a goal back in the 80th minute when The Lions failed to clear their lines from a goal kick.

However Joe Wright instantly restored the four goal advantage when he surged forward and unleashed an unstoppable drive for what was easily the goal of the game.

The Lions still had time to add to the scoreline but it ended 5-1 and John Smith was more than happy with a second successive victory.

He said: “Once again we looked very strong going forward and teams are going to find it hard to deal with that this season.

“We could and should have scored more today and we need to learn that it is more important for the team to score goals rather than for individuals to try and get as many as they can.

“Alex and Joe Wright were excellent tonight and dictated large sections of play.

“Tommy Stringer settled in well and all of the forwards will benefit from playing minutes together before we start the season in earnest.”