Alton Rugby Football Club

Significant Win for Alton

Sat 24 Sep 2016, 15:00

Aldershot & Fleet

14 - 75

Alton

Aldershot & Fleet

This was Alton’s 1st XV’s biggest league win for five seasons and showed a complete turnaround on the previous week’s cup defeat at Alresford.

It took Alton just two minutes to put the first score on the board when following a good catch in a line-out some 20 metres out the forwards drove for the line with Luke Parratt emerging from underneath a pile of bodies giving Joe Gwyther an early opportunity to practice his kicking skills. Gwyther did not disappoint and Alton led 0 - 7.

This week Alton adopted a cohesive hard running style of attack, which meant that despite their very best efforts, Aldershot and Fleet visibly wilted under the pressure.  Alton's backs having travelled the length of the field mishandled, but in the resultant scrum the home side were deemed to have sinned. Alton opted for another scrum, drove for the posts with prop Nick Stoffel touching the ball down and Gwyther making the easiest of conversions. 0-14.

A & F's cause was not helped when their hooker was sin-binned for a repeated offence. Revelling in the extra room Alton's backs swept up field only for winger Ed Lowman to be the recipient of an excellent cover tackle as he was about to score. Alton soon resumed the scoring when number 8, Tom Willis, bullocked his way over. Gwyther took the score to 0-21.

Within five minutes, Alton had a well-deserved try bonus point when second row, Chris Gregory, scored and the ensuing conversion lifting the score to 0-28.

The resultant kick-off did not carry 10 metres and Alton opted for the scrum. Another period of good support between the forwards and backs released centre, David Shepherd, who scored the first try of the afternoon by a back! Gwyther took his personal tally to 10 points.

The home side began to find their feet after the onslaught and began to take a bigger part of the possession, aided by some mishandling by the team in red & black.  However, Alton completed the first half when flanker, Rob Askew, touched down following a good lineout take by Tom Willis. Unfortunately the conversion attempt was just missed, leaving half-score of 0-40.

Half-time appeared to interfere with Alton's thought processes and Aldershot & Fleet were soon on the scoreboard themselves following a good back's move, with their kicker following Gwyther's excellent example.

This galvanised Alton back into action and after Parratt was brought down just short of the line the ball was recycled out to winger, Lowman, who completed the move in the corner. Again the Alton 10 converted; 7-47. Further tries followed through Willis and man of the match, Askew. A&F took advantage when Alton were reduced to 14 following a high tackle, collecting a second converted try. The 2 "Toms" Smethurst and Willis completed the scoring for Alton to finish as well-deserving winners 14-75.

Referee - Stephen Jeggo (HRURS)

Next Saturday Southampton visit Alton for another Snows Hampshire League 2 match; kick-off is 3 p.m. at Anstey Park.

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