Alton Rugby Football Club

A Good Home Win for Alton

Sat 20 Sep 2014, 15:00

Alton

31 - 10

Farnborough

Alton Earn A Bonus Point Win

Farnborough

Playing their first home league game of the season Alton were keen to show that they had learnt lessons from last week’s match at Romsey.

The first ten minutes of the match was played mainly in Alton’s half but their defence performed well preventing Farnborough finding any rhythm. Farnborough kicked into touch on the 22 m. line, Alton took the lineout cleanly and scrumhalf Mark Crowther set his backs in motion. Their slick hands, speed and accurate passing released winger Adam Gill to open his, and Alton’s try account.  Fullback Adam Gallagher continued his accuracy of last week by converting the score to 7 – 0.

No 8, George Damen, also carried on from where he left off last week with a number of trademark charges from the base of the scrum and in broken play. However this week his teammates kept up and only an offside decision kept Farnborough’s line intact.  This did not last long though, again Gill finished the move and again Gallagher converted making it 14 – 0.

Alton became a little casual and were somewhat fortunate when, Farnborough appeared to have scored.  However the referee sin binned Gallagher for entering the ruck from the side.  The resultant penalty was run and the home side’s defence held firm.

Three minutes later and both sides were reduced to fouteen, when the visitor’s flanker was penalised for not releasing Gill following a tackle.

Alton scored again two minutes later following a good clean take in the line by flanker Gavin Evans. The ball was quickly fed by Crowther to stand-off Kevin Gamble who set up a ruck, which was cleaned out by the home pack. Second row, Bruce Oliphant, set up a second ruck ensuring clean ball for Crowther whose long pass found Alton’s No 13, Stewart Davies. Davies broke away on the half-way line and made an excellent break down the slope to score in the corner. Unfortunately, Gallagher was still serving out his sin bin and a good effort by Will Hamer at a difficult conversion fell short by a few yards.

Farnborough finally managed to get back into the game on the stroke of half-time when following a period of pressure they touched down beneath the posts, somehow the conversion was missed! 19 – 5 at half time.

Within three minutes of the restart, Alton scored their fourth and bonus point try. Crowther collected the ball from a mid-field ruck, passed left to Gamble, who in turn fed centre Davies. As Davies was tackled, he threw the ball to Gallagher who, as last week, simply danced his way to the posts making his own conversion simple.

Farnborough did not give up and despite strong defence from Alton, were able to close the gap to 26 – 10 when a well worked backs’ move led to a try out on the right.  Alton lived dangerously for the next few minutes camped on their own line, but they held firm.

Alton completed their task when just before full-time an almighty shove from the home pack drove Farnborough off their own ball. Ali Bridges tidied up and well supported by his fellow forwards set up a ruck, again Crowther fed Gamble who this time hoisted an immense clearance kick which landed centre field.  A poor attempted catch by Farnborough allowed the home players following up to re-gather the ball and release Gill who raced fifty metres to outrun the visitors’ defence for his third try of the afternoon. The conversion was just out of Gallagher’s range.

Alton’s Man of the match was Adam Gill for his hat-trick of tries, which could have been more as he threatened to score whenever he got the ball.

With 5 points from this game and 4 from last week Alton are currently lying second in the league, just in front of newly promoted Fareham Heathens on points difference.

 

Top of the league with two bonus points wins to their credit are Alton’s opponents next Saturday, Fordingbridge, who finished second in Hampshire 1 last season. If Alton can carry their form forward into this away fixture then anything is possible. 

Referee - Mick Weaver (HRURS).

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