Sporting success is a fickle mistress. Two weeks previously, Alton were outplayed by United Services at Anstey Park and were lucky to escape with a draw...

But at Southampton on Saturday, it was Alton who outplayed their hosts and this time they lost.

Alton's players and supporters can justly ask themselves they lost this game. To call the result a travesty would do a disservice to a dogged and committed Southampton performance but Alton had enough chances to win the game several times over, while the Saints managed nary a sight of the try-line.

Saints' stand-off Dave Griffiths slotted three penalty-goals from four attempts and his tactical kicking in the face of a petulant south-westerly was masterful, but it was his side's defence that earned the points and consolidates second place. They travel to league-leaders Trojans next week and will need to show similar steel if they are to maintain the pressure at the top of the table.

The Southampton game-plan was wholly pragmatic and, in attack, there was little enterprise - a disappointment as their young wings, Mark Waterer and Jason Keyhoe, had plenty of gas and showed a couple of flashes, but they had few opportunities with ball in hand.

But the fact of the matter is that Alton spurned a host of gilt-edged try-scoring chances - at least five - and even though they produced their most cohesive performance for several weeks, they just could not finish off their resilient hosts.

Alton, winless in November, have yet to triumph on their league travels but they can take positives from this performance. Ball-retention and recycling were much improved and the turn-over rate was substantially reduced; scrum and line-outs functioned well and the backs always looked dangerous when the ball came wide. Moreover, the amount of ball Alton nicked from their hosts was heartening.

This was due in no small part to a quite remarkable performance from flanker Winston Carter. Carter was everywhere: time and again he conjured up possession from nowhere and the ferocity of his tackling made the eyes water. He was magnificent but no one in an Alton shirt played poorly: it was just one of those days.

Steve Ott opened the scoring for the visitors on 15 minutes when Southampton were penalised for offside at a ruck and but Griffiths levelled the scores four minutes later when Alton were called for a similar offence.

Griffiths gave his side the lead seven minutes later when Alton were punished for killing a ruck on their own 22 but as half-time neared it was the visitors who started to look menacing.

Centre Steven Johns had a try ruled out for an earlier forward pass and the best move of the half nearly put wing Ed Clark over in the right-hand corner; and on the stroke of the interval Clark again almost found himself over when a quick tap-penalty gave Alton a four-on-two overlap, but a knock-on intervened and the chance was lost.

Alton eventually took the lead seven minutes into the second period when number eight Silas Jones broke from a scrummage five metres from the Southampton line, offered a half-dummy and the Saint's defence parted obligingly in front of him. He made no mistake and crashed over.

With Alton now dominant, it was somewhat against the run of play that Griffiths restored the home side's lead five minutes later.

Alton were penalised, seemingly, for killing the ball at a ruck, and Griffiths, having spurned a much easier penalty attempt four minutes earlier, managed to slotted a terrific 35-yarder across the face of the wind.

But Alton kept coming, and so did the chances. A knock-on here and a wrong option there, and some desperate Southampton defence kept them out. A rolling maul shortly before full-time seemed likely to bring that winning try but, somehow, the Saints emerged with possession after the ball had appeared to have crossed the line.

So Alton's nightmarish November ends and they will attempt to put the league season back on track with two points at home to Eastleigh this weekend (kick-off 2.30pm).

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

Pens: Griffiths (19, 28, 52).

Alton: B Wallace; E Clark, J Rees, S Johns (S Sorbey 56), B Oliphant; S Ott, J Grace; E Ross, L Parratt (c), J Gay; R White, M Greenhalgh; A Davies, W Carter, S Jones. Replacements not used: A Willman, T Hopkin.

Try: Jones (47); Penalty: Ott (15)