Alton Fail to Stop E&R Juggernaut

Alton made to pay for first-half profligacy.

Ellingham & Ringwood made it fifteen straight league wins and are the new Hampshire One champions after defeating Alton at a blustery Picket's Post.

After three years of promotion near-misses, the New Forest side have finally made it into the London leagues - and in style, too.

Indeed, they have lost just once in all competitive rugby this season. That sole defeat came at the hands of Alton in the EDF Junior Vase in November, and the visitors had good reason to feel chipper about their chances ahead of Saturday's game.

Alton have had something of an Indian sign over E&R; indeed, they are the only team to have won at their Picket Post fortress in the last three years.

But there was no upset this time and four unanswered tries, two in each half, settled the issue.

The scoreline does not lie, but it can withhold some truths. Alton were left scratching their heads at how they dominated the opening period and could not breach the hosts' line.

With a strong wind at their backs, Alton monopolised possession and camped in E&R's twenty-two for most of the first half. But it only takes a moment to score a try and Ellingham proved as much: - twice they exploited some woeful Alton blindside defence and twice they scored through wing Tom Marks.

It was not quite grand larceny, but it was close. In forty minutes of rugby E&R showed one of the reasons why they are champions - they were clinical when they needed to be. Alton, take note.

Steven Ott kept the visitors in touch with two first-half penalties as E&R led 12-6, but the loss of number eight Kevin Wilson just before half-time proved to be a major blow.

Wilson put in a rampaging performance and his clattering tackle on opposite number Mark Padfield could be felt on the other side of New Forest.

Consequently, Wilson's twinged hamstring left Alton hamstrung and the second half, played into the nasty, capricious wind, proved to be a struggle and the visitors' heads started to drop.

Ironically, the Es' third try stemmed from one of Alton's brightest attacks. Wing Phil White made a scintillating break from near his own line and made it to halfway, but the ball went loose and fell invitingly to Ellingham wing Josh Beavis, who gathered and scampered forty yards for a try of his own.

The hosts settled the game shortly from the end with a superb try that started from their own twenty-two and centre Adam Fityan, via several pairs of hands and a handful of missed Alton tackles, slid over in the corner.

It was not all despair for Alton, who had their moments. Hooker Luke Parratt, in particular was outstanding in the loose, while young guns Bart van Herwijnen and Matthew Arundel also put in impressive displays.

Alton host East Dorset (kick-off 2.30) this weekend before taking a three-week break from league action.

Ellingham and Ringwood: Webb; Marks, Major, Fityan, Beavis; Weeks, Whale; Gilbert, Powell, Langford; Grant, Soden; Vaughan, Mitchell (c), Padfield.

E&R:

Tries: Marks (2), Fityan, Beavis;

Conversion: Weeks;

Penalty: Weeks.

Alton: Forsyth, O'Neil; van Herwijnen (c), Johns, White; Ott, Jones-Rogers; Happel, Parratt, Gay; Greenhalgh, Osborne; Arundel, Watts, Hayward. Reps.: Grace, Oliphant, Wilson.

Pens: Ott (2).