Much Improved, But Alton Still Await First Win

Sandown and Shanklin earned the spoils in a hard-fought but scruffy Hampshire One encounter at Anstey Park, leaving Alton still searching for their first league win.

The mood of the Alton players after the game was as grey as the ashen skies, but the quality of the home side's performance was a huge step-up from the previous week's lacklustre effort at Fareham Heathens.

In particular, the performances of the number eight Andrew Davies and back-row colleague Shane Watts caught the eye. The dynamic duo were at the hub of most of Alton's better moments with some direct running that constantly made in-roads into the visitors' defence.

Indeed, Alton had their chances but were unable to take them; but all too often their approach-play was often over-complicated and too many long passes went astray to trouble a well-organised Hurricanes' defence.

The Hurricanes were relegated from the London leagues last season, and they showed their promotion credentials with a resilient display that leaves them in second spot in the Hampshire One table, well placed for an immediate return.

The islanders sported a huge, experienced pack that has and will destroy many opponents, but though Alton's diminutive eight struggled in the scrummage, they largely held their own.

Alton opened the scoring when Steven Ott slotted a short-range penalty and it could have been even better for Alton after a quick tap-penalty saw the ball sent wide to Phil White, but the wing lost lost the ball in contact over the try-line and the chance went begging.

The visitors then took the lead shortly afterwards with a quite splendid try by wing Matt Jones.

A series of drives by the Hurricanes' forwards was seemingly repelled by Alton;s defensive line, but stand-off Charlie Sutton sent a cross-kick towards Jones on the left and he plucked the ball from the skies and dabbed down.

Buckingham converted via the post and added a penalty shortly after the interval for a 10-3 lead, but Ott immediately trimmed the deficit with his second penalty.

Alton showed greater pragmatism by shortening the passes and keeping it tighter, but they were denied by a combination of a tight Hurricanes' defence and some faulty decision-making.

Then, deep into the final quarter, Alton appeared to have found a way back into the game when a line-out and careering rolling maul again took them over the Hurricanes' line, but the referee was unsighted and quite rightly ruled out the try.

With that chance the game appeared to have slipped from Alton's grasp and when Sandown and Shanklin were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the game, Buckingham calmly slotted the three points to give his side a hard-fought win.

Alton travel to the south coast on Saturday where they take on US Portsmouth at Burnaby Road (2.30 kick-off).

Alton: Johns; Wills, White, Ford, Ross; Ott, Grace; Happel, Parratt (c), Gay; Greenhalgh, Oliphant; Watts, Dennison, Davies.