After a November of introspection and doubt, the smiles finally returned to Anstey Park on Saturday.

Alton got that winning feeling again in their final home league game of 2006 with an eight-try demolition of Eastleigh and so ensured that a mixed year ended on a high note. Luke Parratt's mercurial side found their mojo again and, like Austin Powers, with it they proved to be irresistible.

Four tries in each half completed their job against a young Eastleigh side that lacked confidence - understandably given their league position - and a degree of physicality but never gave up. Unfortunately, they came up against a revitalised home outfit that threw away the shackles and discovered once again that rugby can be fun.

And Alton's pleasure is the greater for securing another clean sheet.

Indeed, their Hampshire 1 home league record is astounding. Unbeaten at 'Fortress Anstey', they have conceded just ten points and secured three clean sheets in the process.

Their overall defensive record is also something to behold: just 57 points conceded in all nine league matches. However, a poor away record has dented their promotion hopes and with only one guaranteed promotion place, they will have to play catch-up after Christmas if they are to get close to league-leaders Trojans.

All this after Alton had been forced to make a host of changes, including a key one at outside-half.

Steve Ott, the talismanic vice-captain, had been forced to miss Saturday's game, and Steve Johns, the regular inside-centre took his place. Late withdrawals had given starts to Mike Downer on the wing, and veteran David Gwyther at prop. Scrum-half Matthew Pead also made a welcome return to Alton colours and veteran number eight Simon Doel stepped up to first-team action again. All enjoyed fine games - indeed no one in black had a poor afternoon.

Jason Rees opened the scoring on nine minutes after a terrific opening blitz from Alton. A series of rucks through the heart of the Eastleigh defence created room for wing Bruce Oliphant wide on the right and his inside pass allowed Rees to stretch over.

Alton notched their second try eight minutes later after a catch and a ferocious eight-man drive from the edge of the Eastleigh 22 took them all the way to the line - prop James Gay emerged from the bottom of the melee to claim the score.

With Alton turning over Eastleigh ball at will and dominating in the set scrums, the home side added two more tries before the half-hour mark.

Flanker Silas Jones showed a real turn of pace to outstrip the defence after Doel had battered his way through the visitors' defence, and Gay scuttled in for his second after a feed from Pead found him in space from a series of rucks.

Oliphant added the extras and Alton were flying at 26-0.

Eastleigh did enjoy a period of possession either side of the interval but they frequently proved to be their own worst enemy. They spurned a two-on-one on the left after a loose pass landed behind wing Wayne Hayward, and shortly after the break, a rolling maul appeared to have given them a lifeline, but somehow Alton's defence held firm.

Such was Alton's dominance up front that the visitors' backs had little to work with - and when they did win ball, it was often untidy. Stand-off Peter Noonan showed neat touches but he had little to work with, while Russell Smith put in a towering display in the line-outs - the only area where Eastleigh enjoyed a clear edge.

Inevitably, Alton's dominance led to a fifth try when an Eastleigh three-quarter move broke down, centre Andrew Davies dribbled fifty yards down the pitch claimed an outrageously opportunist try. Oliphant added a sixth touchdown after he gathered a precise cross-kick from Johns and used all of his six feet and five inches to stretch over.

Rees added his second after cutting a wonderful line and latching onto Davies's adroit off-load. Alton rounded off the scoring after a series of forward drives cut the Eastleigh defence to ribbons and when the ball was spun right, Carter found himself and five team-mates in acres of space 15 yards out. He scampered in under the posts.

Oliphant added three more conversions to take the score past 50 and he finished with a personal tally of 17 points.

Alton now have a weekend off before they travel to Farnborough for their final league assignment in 2006. They will hope to welcome Ott back into the fold but they may have to do without prop James Gay, who picked up a foot injury on Saturday.

Alton: A Willman; B Oliphant, J Rees, A Davies, M Downer (H Pettit 65); S Johns, M Pead; J Gay, L Parratt (c), D Gwyther; M Greenhalgh (E Broadhead 55), R White; S Jones, W Carter, S Doel.

Tries; Rees (2), Gay (2), Jones, Carter, Oliphant, Davies;. Conversions: Oliphant (6).

Eastleigh: J Palacio-Lynch; W Rawlins, P Fudio, W Hayward, M Kirby; P Noonan, A Blythe; D Monaghan, S O'Danaghue, A Browning; R Smith, J Hickson-Broad; A Payne, M Holmes, S Shears.