Last-Gasp Bridge Try Thwarts Alton

Alton's five-match winning run ends as Fordingbridge leave it late to snatch victory.

A try in the dying seconds of the match by centre Dan Brown snatched a dramatic late win for Fordingbridge at the Recreation Ground, bringing to an end Alton's five-match winning streak.

Brown's late score came at the end of a thrilling, topsy-turvy game in which Alton fought back from 15-0 down to lead 19-15 with just seconds remaining.

Earlier, 14 points from the boot of Steve Ott, a James Gay try and a powerful forward display hauled Alton back into a match that Fordingbridge had threatened to run away with following early tries from wing Tim Godden and full-back Steve Brown.

This was the second meeting between the two sides in eight days - the third meeting this season - and it was an absolute belter of a game.

It was also a game of contrasting styles: glamour versus grunt, if you will.

As was the case in November's game, Fordingbridge's back-play was a cut above the standard Hampshire One fare and often exhilarating to behold. But while Fordingbridge sought to run the ball at every opportunity, most of Alton's attacking aspirations came through their forwards.

Alton's pack were quite superb, especially in the loose, and for sixty of the eighty minutes they enjoyed the measure of their hosts. Prop Gay, rookie lock Stephen Osborne and flanker Shane Watts were simply outstanding.

Alton, perhaps with half an eye on their Hampshire Bowl match on Sunday, made half-a-dozen changes from the side that won last week's niggly encounter between the two sides. It showed.

Defensively, they were at sixes and sevens in the opening minutes and it took a terrific last-gasp tackle from full-back Sam Law to foil Godden early on. More scares followed, and Alton's relief proved to be short-lived as Bridge ran in two quickfire tries..

With 14 minutes on the board, Ott's miscued clearance fell to Steve Brown on half-way and his quick counter-attack, followed by dextrous hands from David Stone and Dan Brown, carved out acres of space for Godden on the left and the wing touched down easily.

The home side extended their lead almost immediately when number eight Dean Lewis took a short pass on Alton's 22 and strolled through some brittle midfield defence before off-loading to full-back Brown, who scored at a canter.

Stand-off Matt Norton added a conversion to his early penalty to give his side a healthy fifteen-point cushion.

They nearly extended their lead on the half-hour mark when a quick line-out on halfway set up a sweeping counter-attack but Steve Brown, with a two-man overlap inside the Alton 22, dwelled too long on the pass and the chance was gone.

That missed opportunity began to look costly as a fiercely determined Alton gradually hauled their way back into the game.

Ott trimmed the deficit with two penalties before the break and thereafter Alton's took control, laying siege to the home side's line for fully ten minutes after half-time, but some muscular Fordingbridge defence held them at bay.

Alton had to make do with a third Ott penalty and just when it seemed that Fordingbridge had weathered the storm, Alton's forward dominance paid off when they finally crossed the home line.

There was a hint of controversy about the try. A powerful rolling maul took them from the edge of the Bridge 22 to the line but at the crucial stage the ball appeared to be nudged forward. But Gay dived on the ball and the try was awarded.

Ott slotted the conversion to Alton give the lead and then, with nine minutes remaining, he added a superb 40-yard penalty to cap a faultless display with the boot and extend the margin to four points.

But the game was to provide another, dramatic twist in injury time. Alton were penalised for handling in the scrum and from the ensuing tap-penalty, Fordingbridge sent the ball this way and that before Dan Brown found a yard of space on the left and stepped inside Law to score a dramatic match-clinching try. It was fully deserved but oh so cruel on Alton

Alton face a tough trip Southampton this weekend where victory will go a long way to securing their Hants One status.

Fordingbridge: Steve Brown; Godden, Dan Brown, Stone, Ridgway; Norton, Gulliver; Tyler, Walsh, Kotze; Tattersall, Vass; Maltby, Lewis, Donell.

Tries: Godden (14, 80+2); Steve Brown (16);

Conversions: Norton (2);

Penalty: Norton (5).

Alton: Law; O'Neil, White, Ott, Eade; Collins, Grace; Happel; Parratt (c), Gay; Greenhalgh, Osborne; Hayward (Broadhead 52), Watts, MacDonell (Jenkins 63).

Try: Gay (66);

Conversion: Ott;

Penalties: Ott (31,40+2, 61, 71).