There was no opening-day slip-up as Alton's venture into the uncharted waters of the Hampshire league began with an efficient, and often stylish, win over Ellingham and Ringwood.

The Red Bellies ran in five tries in a performance brimming with pace and enterprise, although they were made to toil against physical, experienced opponents.

Alton's comparative lack of experience is unsurprising given that this was one of the youngest league sides - average age 22 - in recent memory. But their energy and willingness to run the ball from all areas of the park brought them the points and cheered the 120-strong crowd on a balmy, sunny day at Anstey Park.

The execution was not always perfect but a 30-point win and a clean sheet will add more than a spring to the step of Alton head coach Lee Goodall.

Ellingham, who missed promotion from Hampshire One by a whisker last term, boasted a big, combative forward eight which dwarfed their opponents. Indeed, they showed plenty of industry and never buckled, but elementary errors and a lack of ideas going forward cost them dearly.

The home side, by stark contrast, executed everything with pace and gusto, and they always carried the greater menace in attack. Crucially, however, an unrelentingly aggressive defence never looked like springing a leak throughout the entire 80 minutes.

But it was the visitors who started with the greater intent. Alton made an uncertain, edgy start and when they took the lead on six minutes, it was very much against the run of play.

As Ellingham pressed, a long missed pass in midfield went awry on Alton's 22 and was hacked on by fullback Bruce Oliphant; in the ensuing pursuit, the Ellingham back three contrived to make such a hash of the bouncing ball that Oliphant was able to gather his own kick and pop a simple pass to the supporting James Ross, and the wing touched down easily.

Steve Ott added the conversion and six minutes later Alton doubled their lead when, after a series of rucks close to the visitors' line, the fly-half delayed his pass and found inside-centre Andrew Davies on the burst. The stocky centre scythed through the midfield defence and ambled in from ten yards. Ott again converted.

Even at 14-0 to the good Alton did not have it their own way for the bulk of the first period, as Ellingham came back at them hard, but they could not break down a resolute home defence.

Ellingham went close: Tom Walsh almost reduced the arrears shortly before the interval but Oliphant's covering tackle denied the wing a try in the right-hand corner and, when the ball went loose from the resulting line-out, the Es' skipper Robbie Mitchell was somehow denied a touchdown under the posts by Matt Forsyth's last-ditch tackle.

But normal service was resumed early in the second period when, after a series of attacking phases, Ott's half-dummy was bought and he slipped through a gap to score from close range and at 21-0 Alton were almost home and dry.

The New Foresters continued to press hard though: a series of penalties and attacking scrums went unrewarded and it was another defensive lapse that gifted Alton their fourth try 17 minutes from time.

The score was a real family affair. Matt Forsyth stole the ball at a ruck on his own 22, younger brother Dan hacked on, and when the covering defence failed to secure the ball, it was Dan who gratefully accepted a pass from his brother to touch down.

Ott converted and he rounded things off with his second try after swift hands by the centres gave him a clear run from twenty yards out. He duly converted to give himself five from five and 20 points for the match but it was the ubiquitous Dan Forsyth, a human embodiment of perpetual motion, who was named man of the match.

Alton host New Milton at Anstey Park this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Alton: B Oliphant; J Ross (A Willman 56), S Johns, A Davies; S Ott, J Grace; S Watts, L Parratt (c), J Gay (J Rowe 70); M Greenhaugh, E Ross (P Kearse 50); S Sorby, S Jones M Forsyth.

Tries: Ott (46, 73), J Ross (6), A Davies (12), D Forsyth (63). Conversions: Ott (5).

Ellingham and Ringwood: O Grant; T Walsh, R Major, A Fityan, D Williams; A Weeks, R Christopher; R Baker, D Powell, D Longford; A Dare, G Wiliams; A Vaughan, R Mitchell, J Noble.

* Alton II were forced to cancel their game at Havant III due to a lack of available front-row players. They visit near neighbours Petersfield this Saturday in the Hampshire Senior Merit Table.