Alton notched their first competitive win against Winchester since 1998 after turning around a 7-0 half-time deficit to run out deserved winners at Anstey Park.

A spiteful up-field wind and intermittent downpours killed any prospect of a free-flowing try bonanza but it was an enthralling encounter all the same - and one that proved that the death of ten-man rugby has been greatly exaggerated.

Bruising and relentlessly intense, the game was also played with a pace that defied the conditions.

This was no pretty victory but, tactically, Alton were bang on the money. They showed that as far as wet-weather rugby goes, possession and territory might be king but the pick-and-drive and the rolling maul can be his most effective weapons.

As conditions deteriorated in the second half, they binned the frilly stuff, stuck the ball up their jumpers and just drove relentlessly at their opposite numbers. It was simple but mightily effective.

The excellence of Alton's ball-retention and unstinting aggression of their forwards cannot be overstated but half-backs Tom Willis and Sam Rees were just as crucial in turning the game around after the half-time interval.

First receiver Rees kicked astutely, using the wind to keep Winchester pinned deep in their half and with Alton increasingly bossing possession, the visitors struggled to break out of their own 22.

Seventeen-year-old Willis, in particular, is a young man who can do no wrong - he chipped in with twelve points and put in another effervescent display at scrum-half.

What of Winchester? The city side have now seen their promotion hopes dashed after four straight defeats, with non-availability and injuries taking their toll.

Their squad showed ten changes from one that thumped Alton 34-9 in the reverse fixture three months ago and while they worked their socks off to stay in the contest, they clearly lacked the physical presence and cutting edge of their November selves.

They did score a lovely try and showed flashes of quality out wide but failed to use the elements when they had them and struggled badly in the set-pieces, especially at the scrummage where Alton's front-row had a clear edge.

As Alton have found out too often this season, without a reliable forward platform you will struggle to win games.

For all that, Winchester edged territory in the first period and opened the scoring when scrum-half Ben Gardner's cute reverse pass wrong-footed Alton's defence and unleashed number eight Tom Pervin down the middle. He then teed up flanker Angus Adamson for a try under the posts, Spencer Edwards adding the straightforward conversion.

Pervin and lock Campbell Ettinger put in mighty shifts for Winchester but it was a day when little went well for the city side.

Winchester, playing with the stiff wind at their backs in the opening period, failed to capitalise on their lead and Alton hit back early in the second when Willis dabbed down from an attacking five-metre scrum after a period of intense pressure on the visitors' line.

Willis banged over the conversion and a penalty to edge Alton into a 10-7 lead but they extended their advantage that was extended when Shane Watts crossed after seizing the ball after it squirted out of the side of another attacking five-metre scrum. There was a suggestion that he may have nudged the ball forward in the act of scoring but referee Ian Pennell had no hesitation in awarding the try.

Willis' conversion gave Alton a priceless ten-point cushion but they nailed it in stoppage time when John Happel showed great strength to force his way over from a driving maul. It was a fine reward for the prop in his first game back after a two-month injury lay-off.

But Alton's slender chances of staying up were not improved by Saturday's victory after third- and fourth-bottom Purley John Fisher and Old Freemen's both won. PJF edged out Old Blues 8-0 while Freemen's shocked second-place Sandown and Shanklin 20-15. Defeat at the rearranged game at Ellingham & Ringwood could send Alton down but victory is certainly not beyond them.

Alton: Forsyth (Johns); McEvoy, Spencer, Sumner, Gill; Rees, Willis; Happel, Parratt, Gay (capt.); Greenhalgh, Ford; Watts, Gerlach, Allum.

Tries: Willis (51'), Watts (68'), Happel (80'+1);
Cons.: Willis (2);
Penalty: Willis (61')

Yellow card: Parratt (23').

Winchester: Woods; Clarke, Wade (Neeson), Edwards, Burt; Duncan, Gardner; Osborne, Edwards, Williams (Hancock); Ettinger, King; Barritt, Adamson, Pervin.

Try: Adamson (17');
Conversion: Edwards.

Yellow card: Barrett (67').

H-T: 0-7.

Referee: Ian Pennell (Hampshire Society).

- With thanks to the good folks of Winchester RFC for player info. WRFC's match report can be found here.