The new year began in sensational fashion at Anstey Park when a Mark Greenhalgh try two minutes into injury time clinched a thrilling last-gasp win for Alton

Trailing 8-5, Alton were awarded a penalty on the Southampton 22 in the final play of the game and instead of going for goal or the attacking line-out the forwards opted to stick it up their jumpers and drive their way over.

And after a series of close-range drives saw them cross the line, it was second-row Greenhalgh who emerged from the melee of players with the ball - and the referee then added to the tension by taking an age to award the score.

It was Greenhalgh's - an ever-present in an Alton shirt this season - first try for the club.

This was a thrilling end to a physical and enthralling encounter played out in appalling conditions which fluctuated between steady rain and downpours of near Biblical proportions.

But both sides stayed true to their rugby principles and responded with ambition and enterprise; and both sides even managed to craft tries which would have befitted a sunny day in Sydney.

Alton wecolmed back Steve Ott and James Gay - both injured for most of December - and tinkered with their starting line-up.Ott slotted into his favoured inside-centre position, while Steven Johns kept the number ten shirt.

But the most unorthodox change came in the backs where the strong-running Shane Watts, a prop no less, was moved to the left wing. The Chichester-based student really can play anywhere and often does.

Southampton had edged the reverse fixture in November and they came within seconds of repeating the trick at Anstey Park. The cruel irony for the visitors is that they played much better this time:on that day, it was Alton's profligacy and the boot of stand-off Dave Griffiths which pilfered a 9-8 win for the Saints.

It was just as tight this time around. The visitors opened the scoring after just two minutes when Alton's backs were penalised for offside and Griffiths slotted the three points.

Ott narrowly failed with two kicks of his own in the opening ten minutes but on the quarter-hour mark he started the move which ended in a beautifully crafted long-range try.

He took a quick tap on his 22 and freed Johns on the break, before Jason Rees and Ben Wallace linked to put wing Huw Ross over in the right-hand corner.

It stayed 5-3 for the next 45 minutes but, surprisingly, the despicable weather conditions did not diminish the attacking aspirations of either side.

Both teams sought to keep ball in hand though, unsurprisingly, ball retention proved to be fiendishly difficult.

Southampton then regained the lead on the hour-mark with a lovely try of their own. They attacked from deep inside their own half and nice link-up play allowed wing Mark Waterer to escape down the left. The youngster showed tremendous strength and determination to hold off the last Alton defenders and he dotted down for a virtuoso score.

As with the November game, Alton faced a narrow deficit with a quarter remaining and they threw the kitchen sink at Southampton, but they repeatedly knocked on or lost the ball in contact as they searched for a winning score.

And with two minutes remaining Alton had a glorious chance to seal the points, but the ball slipped from Huw Ross's grasp with the try-line beckoning.

But redemption was at hand and just when it seemed that all was lost, the Alton forwards - Greenhalgh to the fore - rescued the day.

Alton face a tricky assignment when they travel to Burnaby Road to take on United Services, Portsmouth, this weekend. The Navy outfit are the only visiting side to have avoided defeat at Anstey Park this year.

Alton: B Wallace; H Ross, J Rees, S Ott, S Watts; S Johns, J Grace; J Gay, L Parratt (c), E Ross; M Greenhalgh, R White; A Davies, W Carter, S Jones.

Southampton: J Robins; J Kehoe, O Sheldrake, P Molyneux, M Waterer; D Griffiths, P Brant; M Coffin (c), C Reid, W Allen; I Budd (L Mauger), M Mauger; I Mauger, D Keepax, A Butler.