Some fourteen weeks since they last played a home fixture in Anstey Park and on just about the first sunny day in 2014, Alton welcomed second placed Fordingbridge , who arrived on a run of eight unbeaten games in the league.

With a dry pitch and a slight breeze, conditions were perfect for an entertaining running game of rugby and that’s what the large crowd where rewarded with. Yet again Alton showed that they can compete with the best sides in Hampshire One.

After six minutes the first points went to the home side following a good break from Mark Crowther, when Fordingbridge were penalised for a ruck infringement; Simon Ford punished them with a well taken penalty. Three minutes later Fordingbridge responded with a break down the left but handling mistakes gave Alton the ball back and they attacked. A scrum offence gave Alton another penalty chance but Ford missed. 

Fordingbridge attacked again down the left and this time were successful when Joe Brewer scored a try which Mat Norton converted.  Alton got back into the visitors’ 22m area when ‘Bridge were penalised for being in front of their kicker, but were unable to convert their possession into points.  In the next attack the visitors’ Norton sold two outrageous dummies to score. He converted his own try to take the lead to 3 – 14 to the visitors.

A good clearance kick from Ford took the game to fifteen metres from the visitors’ line. Fordingbridge were able to clear their line but from the resultant line out Alton created a well worked try in the corner for Sam Rees to touch down, Ford added the conversion.

Just on half-time ‘Bridge’s vice captain Steve Brown crossed the try line and with the extras added the visitors led 10 – 21.

Alton opened the scoring in the second half through Mark Heffernan but the attempted conversion failed to add the extra two points.

From this point on Fordingbridge were the only side to trouble the scorers, but this does not detract from the efforts made by Alton to live with them, number 8 Tyrone Miles being very evident in charging with the ball at anyone who got in his way, only being prevented from scoring on one particular occasion when his foot strayed into touch.

Fordingbridge’s remaining tries came from Dan Brown, captain James Greenwood and a second from Brewer meant that Bridge opened up an unassailable lead. Norton finished an impressive afternoon with the boot by converting them both and slotting a long range penalty.

Fordingbridge travel to Bognor Regis next week to play their flood postponed game but Alton, as does the rest of the league, get a weekend off for the final three games of the 6 Nations.

Life in the league doesn’t get any easier, on 22^nd March Alton are away to third  place Millbrook and although Alton are currently in eightth place in the league with only one point separating them from Romsey in eleventh.