Six-Try Alton End Win Drought in Style

Alton shrugged off the demons and notched their first league win in seven attempts after a six-try demolition of mid-table New Milton at a wind-swept Anstey Park.

Not since January's 50-point thrashing of Fareham Heathens have Alton put together a performance like this in front of their own supporters. The confidence, dynamism and va-voom of a year ago finally returned and Alton can look ahead to the second half of the season with a little more confidence. Redemption appears to be at hand.

Injury and unavailability had forced Alton to ring the changes - and, tellingly perhaps, they ended up fielding one of their most experienced packs in recent years.

Veteran hooker Jim Kerr made his first start for nearly a year after skipper Luke Parratt was ruled out with injury.

Evergreen back-row Winston Carter's age-defying athleticism and perpetual motion in the back row earned himself a richly-deserved try; and club captain and assistant coach Tony Hopkin took the captain's armband - 'King' Tony even helped himself to a well-received try.

It was a very good day for Alton's 'grumpy old men'.

If the old guard provided the ballast, it was the younger guns - notably Andrew Davies, Steven Ott, Dan Forsyth and Jason Grace - who gave Alton their cut and thrust.

Four unanswered first-half tries effectively sealed the game by the interval.

New Milton have generally travelled well this year - indeed they should have won at Ellingham & Ringwood on the opening day of the season. They are enterprising, attack-minded and blessed with some strong runners. They had their moments but were simply washed away by Alton's first-half tidal-wave.

Indeed, the early stages of the game belonged to the visitors and they exerted all the early pressure, despite facing the biting wind.

Stand-off Dan Gould should have put the New Forest side ahead after two minutes, but his penalty attempt went wide. Thereafter it was one-way traffic.

Alton drew first blood eleven minutes in when scrum-half Grace pilfered New Milton ball, and he and Ott created space for wing Stuart Eade, whose pace took him over in the corner.

Shortly afterwards, a catch-and-drive - Alton's most effective offensive weapon this season - brought a second try and it was the ubiquitous flanker Davies who emerged with the score.

Ott converted both tries and Alton were 14-0 to the good.

Grace's industry bore fruit again on the half-hour mark when his weighted kick caused bedlam in New Milton's defensive ranks and Davies, ever-alert, seized on the loose ball to touch down.

Alton were not done and wing James Ross added a fourth: another turn-over, quick hands from Kieron Collins and Ott released a galloping Dan Forsyth, and the centre cut an impressive swathe through the New Milton rearguard before setting up Ross.

Ott's conversion left Alton 26-0 to the good at half-time and Anstey Park was buzzing.

With the elements in their favour New Milton struck back after half-time with a well-fashioned try for wing Chris Connacher but Hopkin restored the 26-point advantage when he powered over from another close-range drive.

Alton extended their lead still further with a magnificent long-range try halfway through the second period.

Collins found Stephen Johns on charge and his pass released Eade 60 yards out. A superb tackle by Connacher floored Eade, but the wing managed to off-load to Carter and the flanker darted over from twenty yards to for a splendid try, which Ott converted.

The visitors managed a late consolation when Dan Oliver thundered a little too easily through heart of the Alton midfield, but it was Alton's day.

One swallow does not a summer make, but victory has hoisted Alton from the bottom of the table, doubled the try-count and almost doubled the points tally for the season.

They will seek to continue their cup adventures when they take on Sussex I side Crawley in the EDF Junior Vase 6th Round at Anstey Park this Saturday (2.15pm kick-off).

Alton: Johns; Eade (Wills 70), Forsyth, Ott, Ross; Collins, Grace; Happel, Kerr, Hopkin (c); Greenhalgh, Hayward (Speed-Andrews 38); Davies, Carter, MacDonell (Jenkins 70).

Tries: Davies (2), Eade, Ross, Hopkin, Carter.

Conversions: Ott (3).

New Milton & District (unconfirmed): Bew; Connacher, Evans, Oliver, Neal; Gould, Bradley-Watson; Hart, George, Hope; Ewen, Poole; Wale, Mason, Colien.

Tries (unconfirmed): Connacher, Oliver.