Alton suffered their first defeat of the season after Trojans overturned a 12-0 deficit to win a pulsating Hampshire 1 game at Stoneham Lane.

Two moments of magic from Trojans' lightning young South African outside-half Jarrard McCarroll turned a game that Alton seemed to have in their sights after a quarter of the match, when tries by Steve Ott and James Gay had put them in the clear.

A bruising encounter between two well-organised and evenly-matched sides was settled halfway through the second half by a 25-yard penalty by Natal-born McCarroll after Alton were penalised for hands in the ruck.

And it was apt that a penality kick should have decided the game. The penalty-count makes for eye-watering reading for Alton: 16 conceded, mostly for offences at the tackle and the ruck, while the home side gave away just six.

Alton's young side will have to learn to infringe less or, more to the point, be seen by referees to infringe less.

Coach Lee Goodall Alton was forced to shuffle his pack prior to Saturday's game after skipper Luke Parratt had to withdraw to the bench with an ankle injury. This meant a call-up for Anstey Park stalwart Jim Kerr - who had an immaculate game at hooker - while the captaincy was handed to outside-half Ott.

And it was the stand-in skipper at stand-off who drew first blood for the visitors by muscling his way over from close range after just eight minutes - his fifth try in three matches - following some crisp approach work by forwards and backs.

Somewhat shaken, Trojans replied with menace but initially struggled vainly to make in-roads into Alton's defence. A series of rolling mauls deep in the visitors' 22 was rebuffed and, if to show Trojans how it should be done, Alton duly extended their lead on 25 minutes after a line-out catch and a forward drive sent prop Gay over.

But, as with victory over New Milton, Alton had fluidity and a champions' swagger about them in the first quarter but lost their way thereafter. Perhaps a little over-eager to finish Trojans off, anxiety and uncertainty crept into Alton's play where, perhaps, patience was called for.

By contrast, Trojans knuckled down, put some phases together and started to harry Alton into making mistakes - and the home side finally found their feet in attack ten minutes before the break.

McCarroll, with a quick step off his right foot, made a nifty half-break ten yards from the visitors' line and popped to outside-centre Chris Boyd, who dabbed down under the posts.

The fly-half added the conversion and a further three points after Alton were penalised at a ruck in front of their posts six minutes later.

With a 12-10 interval lead, Alton sought to regroup but it was McCarroll again who struck shortly after the break, the catalyst for a quite magnificent Trojans try. He launched a blistering counter-attack from his own 22 and a neat exchange of hands saw replacement wing Simon Matthews touch down in the right-hand corner.

But Ott levelled the scores five minutes later before another infringement at the ruck allowed McCaroll to edge Trojans back in front with a quarter of the match to go. The Red Bellies then huffed and puffed, but could not break down an organised and savvy home defence, which spoiled and harried Alton at every turn.

Jason Rees - after McCarroll the most incisive back on the pitch - made a couple of searing breaks and Ott nearly created an opening for Matt Forsyth but the decisive score eluded them. Alton almost clinched victory late in the game after another rolling maul appeared to point to a late try but they were left aggrieved when it was pulled down a couple of yards short of the line.

But Trojans' defence repelled Alton's late flurry to claim the points and get their own promotion hopes back on track. And when the two sides meet at Anstey Park in March, there is every chance that it could be a league-decider.

Luke Parratt and his side have a chance to bounce straight back when they host Millbrook on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

* Alton have a trip across the Solent to look forward to on 28 October, when they will take on the Isle of Wight in the second round of the EDF Energy Junior Vase.

Trojans: J Pennington; R Bateley (S Matthews, 41), C Boyd, G Fitzgerald, G Ritson; J McCarroll, A Surtees; R Kochanowsky, D Linton, S Fitzgerald; M Knight, J Higham (c); S Reilly, D Strange, T McIntosh.

Tries: Boyd, Matthews; Conversion: McCarroll; Penalties: McCarroll (2).

Alton: B Oliphant; B Wallace, J Rees, S Johns, D Forsyth; S Ott (c), J Grace; S Watts, J Kerr (L Parratt 73), J Gay; M Greenhalgh, R White; S Jones, A Davies, M Forsyth (W Carter 62).

Tries: Ott, Gay; Conversion: Ott; Penalty: Ott.