There was a break in league action last week to accommodate the National Cup competitions and although Alton started well enough they did not have the continuity of their previous games this season.

Receiving from the kick-off, Alton attacked up the Anstey Park slope and were rewarded with a penalty which was kicked to touch. Alton then drove for the line but were held up by Bognor’s defence. A fly hack by the visitors’ hooker caught one of his own players offside but Adam Gallagher was unable to kick the points.

Alton continued to press but having awarded another penalty to Alton the referee, Steve Jeggo, reversed his decision because of some confrontation off the ball.

Bognor made a good distance with the kick and won clean ball at the ensuing lineout. The Bognor pack created space for the backs and although they were brought down five metres from the Alton line a couple of dummy runners created the space allowing Tompkins to sneak over for their first score. Clare converted.

Alton replied through Gallagher soon afterwards when Bognor were penalised for not releasing.  Alton began to show what they were capable of and a bullocking run by centre Adam Hoxey should have led to a try but the ball was knocked on eight metres out. Bognor cleared their lines following a penalty against Alton for not releasing the tackled player.  It was taken quickly and Calleja scored his first try for Bognor.

On the half hour Alton lost hooker Hibbert through injury, who was replaced by Tyrone Miles. A re-arranged pack moved skipper, Luke Parratt, to hooker.

Bognor revisited their opponents’ 22 with former Bulgarian weightlifter, Venci Angelou, smashing a hole through the Alton defence. This enabled scrum-half, Newcombe, to direct a clever kick into the hands of veteran Watson, who scampered in under the posts.  The ensuing conversion taking the score to 3 – 19.

Alton winger Ed Lowman was not so fortunate when a similar move gave him the ball but excellent defence by the visitors kept him out.

Alton’s pack now imposed themselves on the game and when a Bognor player was sin-binned for a blatant infringement at the ruck, drove to the line.  Alton should have scored a pushover try but for a knock-on at its base. However, Alton were rewarded on the stroke of halftime when Miles crashed over for an unconverted try.

Alton closed the gap to eight points early in the second half through a Gallagher penalty and added a further try when debutante full-back George Trantham finished off a flowing backs’ move from a lineout. Unfortunately, Gallagher’s conversion attempt hit the post and fell away.

The pace in the game began to falter with injuries on both sides affecting play. As Alton tired, mistakes began to be made, especially in defence, allowing Bognor to help themselves to three further tries, one of which was converted.

Bognor are now top of the table following the surprise defeat at home of Fordingbridge, the previous leaders, by Alton’s opponents next Saturday, United Services Portsmouth who won 20 – 40.  Alton will have to lift their game for this encounter.

Referee - Stephen Jeggo (HRURS)