Second-Half Revival Too Late for Alton

Alton are still without a Hampshire One win after they were beaten by Fareham Heathens at Cams Alders - their third league defeat.

It was a bitty, tetchy and penalty-riddled affair throughout, but a blood-and-thunder defensive performance and a muscular effort from Heathens' forwards ensured that the home side were worth their win.

Alton did not play at all well but their aggressive second-half rally, coming after an error-strewn and uncharacteristically subdued first period, showed that there is scope for optimism as well as improvement in Luke Parratt's young side.

Heathens showed pragmatism and control than Alton; they eschewed the wide game, preferring to use their bigger forwards as battering rams and employing the rolling maul to great effect. They dominated possession and territory in the first half, and they should have led by more than 8-0 but Alton's defence proved to be a tough nut to crack.

Unfortunately for Alton, on the rare occasions they did win clean ball they sought to throw it wide, but too often misplaced passes and unforced handling errors let them down.

A 29th-minute drop-goal from inside-centre Graeme White gave Heathens the lead and Alton were made to pay for their lack of precision a minute into first-half injury-time when they spilled the ball under their posts - from the resulting scrum, Heathens sent the ball wide and wing Trevor Wilkinson bludgeoned his way over in the left corner.

Alton started the second period with greater urgency and Steven Ott reduced the arrears with a penalty, but five minutes later Heathens extended their lead when a lengthy rolling maul took them to a yard of the Alton line and Illingworth came hurtling in from his wing to charge over from close range.

But Ott kicked his second penalty on the hour to make it 13-6 and when White was sin-binned for tripping Alton wing James Ross, Heathens' lead looked to be under serious threat.

Alton duly laid siege to the Heathens' line but were repeatedly foiled by some increasingly desperate defence. Inevitably, the pressure told and eight minutes from the end a catch-and-drive saw lock Bruce Oliphant touch down.

Ott's conversion miss could have proved crucial but it was Heathens who finished stronger, and yet another period of sustained forward pressure was rewarded a minute from time when scrum-half Paul Charlson squeezed over and Gary Algar converted to seal the points.

Fareham Heathens: Strudwick; Green, Algar, White, Wilkinson; Allardyce, Charlson; Cook, Wye, Rugman; Franklyn, Wheaton; Monk (c), Hulett, Mitchell.

Tries: Wilkinson (2), Charlson;

Drop Goal: White;

Conversion: Algar.

Alton: Johns; Phil White, Ott, Ford, Ross; Collins, Grace; Happel, Parratt (c), Gay; Greenhalgh, Oliphant; Watts (Forsyth, 50), Davies, Richard White.

Try: Oliphant;

Pens: Ott (2).