This was yet another poor day at the office for Alton in terms of the result. Millbrook, the current league leaders proved just too strong.

The game was a dual league/cup game as the earlier Gales HSB Hampshire Bowl fixture between the clubs had to be postponed as it clashed with Millbrook's London & South East Cup 1^st round match.

Millbrook scored within two minutes of the kick-off and went on to run in five tries (four of which were converted) by half-time, Alton's standoff Simon Ford did have the consolation of a successful penalty.

The second half was very similar with the visitors contributing a further seven tries but only two conversions.  However in one of the better moves during the whole game Alton swept downfield. When the Millbrook defence finally stopped their progress Alton put in a grubber kick, the bounce of which totally fooled the Millbrook fullback, enabling winger Fran Williams to scamper over for a try. This was fully deserved by the home side and giving their supporters something to cheer. Ford collected the conversion.

There were good points for the Alton team this week. They had sufficient players available to field a league team competent enough to compete in all factors of the game at this level. Some of the support play in the forwards was very good and the backs were prepared at all times to run at their opposition. If they can retain the ball better in contact and improve their handling then they should recover their early season form. Alton also showed a very good team spirit with no-one giving up until the final whistle.

Next Saturday Alton have their first ever away league fixture against Bognor, relegated last season from London Three South West. As they are geographically closer to Hampshire clubs, than those in Sussex, they opted to join the Hampshire leagues.

Bognor are just 2 points above Alton in the league, both clubs having won four games, this should prove a much closer game for Alton than those of the last few weeks.