This was Kingsclere RFC's first competitive visit to Anstey Park and unfortunately arrived with less than a full squad.

Despite injuries reducing their number to thirteen by half-time, Kingsclere pressurised the Alton try line right to the end of the game while Alton appeared to finally discover that they are a team that can adapt to both horrendous climatic conditions and their opposition.

Alton had the best possible start when after two minutes, second row, Chris Gregory, broke free from a melee on the 22 metre line to touch down beneath the posts to give Simon Ford the easiest of conversions. Alton's forwards dominated the next five minutes and were rewarded with a try by number 8, Tom Smethurst, when they drove over to give Ford another easy conversion. Kingsclere then came back into the game and spent the next ten minutes camped in the Alton half, but the ball was stolen from them and winger, Ed Lowman, raced away from his own 10 metre line to touch down out on the left hand side. With the wind now blowing very strongly, it was no surprise that the attempted conversion was missed. 

With the half time score at 19 -0 Alton left the field of play, as they did last week, to clean their hands and change their shirts.  They reappeared in their yellow and green hooped change strip which proved a good choice as, in the rapidly fading light it made them relatively easy to pick out.

Alton picked up the pace in the second half with a spectacular try from stand-off Mark Crowther. Crowther wove his way through the visiting defence without a hand touching him to score below the posts, with Ford being grateful for the easy conversion. Ten minutes later second row, Will Ford, followed Crowther's example, but chose route one, charging straight through any defenders that stood in his way. A grateful Ford again converted. Towards the end of the third quarter it was the turn of debutante winger, Rob Askew, to demonstrate his pace with a powerful run down his flank. Although he scored out on the left, Ford managed the conversion with aplomb. Five minutes later Ed Dickinson, following Askew's example, tearing down the opposite flank from his own 22 metre line to score out on the right. Unfortunately, the difficult conversion attempt was unsuccessful. As Kingsclere tired Alton began to run at them with ball in hand and just before full time another newcomer, centre David Shepherd, used his strength and running skills to force his way through from halfway giving Ford a fairly easy conversion.

All credit to the depleted Kingsclere side as they put every effort into forcing Alton back, firstly into their own 22 and then onto their own goal line in an effort to be the last to score.  Unfortunately for Kingsclere they lost the ball and from within their own in goal area Alton shipped the ball out to Lowman who skirted around the visitors to touch down for Alton's ninth try of the game. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, given the conditions, Crowther's conversion attempt failed.

Alton's Man of the Match was Gregory who not only scored the first try, but spent the whole game tenaciously tackling anything that moved and excelled in his lineout support work.

Referee - Kieran Allen (HRURS)

Alton welcome Ventnor RFC to Anstey Park next Saturday, 14^th November, for a Snow's Hampshire 2 League Fixture, with kick-off at 2:30 p.m. Ventnor currently occupy third place in the league, four points ahead of Alton, who are fifth - this should prove to be a competitive game!