Andrew Hullock scores 22 points on his full debut as Alton put in their best performance of the season to win at E&R.

A really good game. This was a compelling match of punch and counter-punch in which both sides went flat out at each other from the word go and produced a high-octane affair full of enterprise, endeavour and relentless physicality.

The breakdowns were a mess, there were plenty of errors and about 500 penalties but the entertainment value was immense.

Alton showed tenacity and composure in spades and there wasn't a weak link in the side. They were full of devil with the ball in hand; heroic and unforgivingly aggressive in defence. It was their best performance of the season by a country mile.

Wing Andrew Hullock marked his first league start by scoring two tries and kicking six of his eight goals for haul of 22 points. Some debut.

Hullock may have been the obvious stand-out, but the vigour and work ethic of the forwards, the calm efficiency of the half-backs and the alertness of the wide players all contributed to an impressively coherent Alton display.

For their part, E&R did little wrong. They were always keen to keep ball in hand and attack the wide channels, and their fluent off-loading game brought them three well-worked tries. But it was a day when every punch they landed was answered by an Alton sucker-punch.

Prop David Budd was - alongside Alton openside Luke Parratt - the best forward on the park, lanky full-back Charlie Cockram full of pace and invention, and centre Adam Fityan a tireless runner in midfield.

Indeed, E&R had chances - plenty of them. They spilled the ball over the line twice and had mountains of possession and territory, but where they failed to convert their pressure into points, Alton were clinical.

Never was this truer than in the opening 12 minutes when the visitors made two forays into E&R territory and scored both times.

First, a 15-metre rolling maul took play into the E&R's 22 and scrum-half Christo Arundel's quick thinking saw him switch the focus of attack to the blindside and give Hullock a run to the corner.

Their second try came when quick tap on halfway sent Will Ford charging down the right flank and the big number 8 gave an exquisitely timed scoring pass to Matt O'Connor.

Hullock added a conversion and two 35-metre penalties but E&R got off the mark when Cockram's dummy and searing break from his own ten-metre line set up a try for Fityan.

Wing Mark Hutchinson slotted a penalty on the stroke of half time and crossed at the start of the second half when some patient approach play and crisp passing worked him over in the right-hand corner.

At that stage, E&R trailed just 18-13 and were well and truly back at the races but Alton hit back immediately with a wonderful score, Steve Ott's little dink over the top gathered at full throttle by Hullock who was unstoppable from 40 yards.

Hullock once again converted but the home side responded with a period of relentless pressure and twice came within inches of reducing Alton's lead to a single score.

But Alton held firm and with seven minutes left Parratt went over from a five-metre rolling maul to secure the victory and a vital bonus point.

Fityan crossed late on for an E&R consolation but it was not enough to secure a losing bonus point.

Alton have another break from league rugby this Saturday but face two crucial assignments that could well define their season.

First up are Sandown and Shanklin, who visit Anstey Park on 4 December and the following week Alton travel to Penns Place to take on neighbours Petersfield in the first of the season's eagerly-awaited local derbies.

Alton: Salmon (Law, 75); O'Connor, Hemmens, Richards, Hullock; Ott, Arundel; Happel, Gay ©, Ovens (Gerlach, 65); Greenhalgh, Osborne; Watts, Parratt, Ford.

Tries: Hullock (4, 52), O'Connor (12), Parratt (73);
Conversions: Hullock (3);
Penalties: Hullock (25, 36).

Ellingham and Ringwood:
Tries: Fityan (29, 80), Hutchinson (48);
Penalty: Hutchinson (40).

Referee: Ian Britton (Hampshire Society).

Other London 3SW results:

Fordingbridge 27 - 37 Old Alleynians;
Old Wimbledonians 7 - 57 Teddington;
Petersfield WO London South Africa;
Sandown & Shanklin 10 - 35 Camberley;
Winchester 40 - 27 Old Wellingtonians.