Alton's promotion ambitions are still alive after a convincing win at strugglers Millbrook consolidated third place in Hampshire One.

Rumours of Alton's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Their season is not over just yet.

Victory at Millbrook, and defeat for league-leaders Ellingham & Ringwood at Fareham Heathens mean that Alton are just four points off a play-off spot.

Trojans, the team that has supplanted Ellingham at the top of Hampshire One, visit Anstey Park this weekend in a game that could have major ramifications for the promotion race.

Saturday's win at league strugglers Millbrook was efficient and there were occasional flashes of magic - most of them from ubiquitous flanker Andrew Davies, who enjoyed a remarkable game for Alton.

However, it was the performance of the forwards which will give Alton coach Lee Goodall most satisfaction.

Locks Matt France and Richard White were flawless in the line-outs, but it was the pace and aggression of the visitors' eight that ultimately did for an out-gunned Millbrook side.

Four tries - two in each half - were just reward for a performance that was brimming with enterprise throughout.

Alton's passing was crisp and the approach play often exemplary - exemplary, that is, until they reached the Millbrook 22. Then the good work was undone by buttery hands or poor decision-making.

The home side's main weapons were the prodigious boot of the impressive 19-year-old Richard Colmer at full-back, and the bullocking runs of outstanding open-side Dean Weaver and number eight Mike Mulcahy.

And with scrum-half Alan Day bringing strength and an impressive array of skills to the table, so the Southampton outfit do have the personnel to avoid relegation from Hampshire One.

Indeed, both sides played their part in a pulsating opening 40 minutes, but it was Alton who showed the greater penetration, and they created a host of chances in the process.

Indeed, they were rewarded after just three minutes when Steven Ott took a short pass in centre-field and barged his way deep into Millbrook's 22. When the ball was recycled, Luke Parratt found himself alone in a spacious blindside, and his well-timed pass allowed Davies to slide over in the left-hand corner.

Thereafter Alton bossed possession and edged the scrums, and it was no surprise when they extended their lead on the 20-minute mark, Ott adding a penalty after the Millbrook centres were pulled up for offside.

Ten minutes later, a trademark line-out catch and rollicking drive in the Millbrook 22 gave Alton their second try - James Gay emerging from the bowels of the maul to claim his eighth try of the season.

And shortly before the interval, Alton almost scored their try of the season. Ott made a clean blindside break deep inside his 22 and fed the supporting Ben Wallace on halfway; the full-back then drew Colmer and slipped an inside to Shane Watts, but the prop was bundled down just short.

But Alton extended their lead shortly after half-time and Watts was the provider.

Scrum-half Jason Grace put Watts into space on the short-side and his inside pass found Parratt - Alton's captain showed terrific pace to scuttle and side-step his way over from 30 yards.

Ott added his second penalty shortly afterwards, and at 21-0 it was effectively game over.

Millbrook rallied but, and their forwards laid siege to the visitors' line for a ten-minute spell, but wave after wave was repulsed and they could not unlock the Alton defence.

Alton duly completed the scoring with their fourth - and best - try of the match with 19 minutes remaining.

Outside-centre Dan Forsyth freed Davies down the left and, faced with full-back Colmer, he put in an impudent grubber-kick, gathered the ball and stretched over to score a fine solo try in the corner.

A fragmented final quarter saw few scoring opportunities for either side, although replacement centre Mike Asken nearly scored with his first first-team touch, and wing Rob Wills was denied a first score for Alton when he was held up over the line.

But as far as Alton were concerned, it was job done and they now prepare for the visit of Trojans.

Millbrook: Colmer; Burlone, Nawaqabuli, Campbell, Phippard; Coffin. Day; Vincent, Scott, Kidd; Copeland, Frampton; Bedwell (c), Weaver, Mulcahy.

Alton: Wallace (Willman 65); Oliphant, Forsyth (Asken 60), Ott, Wills; Johns, Grace; Watts, Parratt (c), Gay; France, White; Davies, Kearse, Hayward (Hopkin 65).

Tries: Davies (3, 61), Gay (31), Parratt (42); Conversion: Ott; Penalties: Ott (2).

Picture: second-row Matt France pilfers Millbrook line-out ball during Alton's 28-0 win.