Alton's interest in this year's EDF Energy Junior Vase is over after they succumbed to an impressive young Hemel Hempstead outfit at a sun-drenched Anstey Park.

The visitors ran in four tries, two in each half, and though they never truly bossed the game, they more than warranted their place in the fourth-round draw.

Hemel, unbeaten and sitting pretty on top of Herts/Middlesex Division 1, played with a self-assured swagger and efficiency that Alton have, it seems, temporarily mislaid.

That three of Hemel's tries came from Alton errors is significant but should not detract from the quality of the visitors' finishing. The Hertfordshire side took their chances well and also scored one of the finest tries to grace Anstey Park in many a year.

Alton's forwards competed well, but once again the side's problems stemmed from a lack of presence at breakdowns and paucity of quick second- and later-phase ball. The turn-over count - ten - strongly hints at this but Alton were also scruffy around set-pieces and they ceded possession too cheaply, often in good attacking positions.

In mitigation, Alton had endured a troubled build-up to the game and were forced to reshuffle their pack after unavailability and injury had deprived them of most of their front five.

Stu Bratt and Will Ford returned to Alton colours from overseas duty and university respectively, and holidaying captain Luke Parratt was replaced by James Rowe at hooker. Prop Elliott Ross was moved into the second row.

Alton did take a deserved lead in the 14th minute after a keenly-contested, tight opening period. Hemel were penalised for hanging on in the tackle and Steve Ott slotted 20-yard goal from in front of the posts.

But the visitors responded swiftly and took the lead seven minutes later when they won line-out ball ten yards out, spun it wide and outside centre Ross Willoughby ghosted into space to put wing James Waterman-Allen over in the left-hand corner.

Hemel then added to their lead on the stroke of half-time when outside-half Ray Adde's quick tap-penalty 12 yards out caught Alton unawares and Willoughby, running from deep, found a gap in the midfield and darted over. Both were unconverted but the visitors had a 10-3 half-time lead.

The game was all but settled seven minutes after the break with a majestic length-of-the-field try - when, ironically, Alton looked at their most dangerous.

Hemel pinched a loose ball from the base of an Alton five-metre scrum and broke to halfway before the ball was swiftly spun left and a succession of passes created the space for Willoughby to sprint over.

The ubiquitous Willoughby, lightning quick and bullish in contact despite his comparatively slight physique, was a class act all afternoon.

Adde rounded off the scoring 14 minutes from time when Alton were robbed on their own 22-metre line and he enjoyed an unopposed run-in. He added the extras for both tries and also slotted a penalty.

Alton had their performers too: Ben Wallace's pace and quick feet troubled Hemel all day; and Winston Carter's willingness to forage in the murky depths of tackle and the ruck earned his side their own share of turn-over ball.

But this was a disappointing afternoon for Red Bellies, who will now seek to regroup for Saturday's tricky visit to Southampton.

Alton: B Wallace; B Oliphant, J Rees, A Davies, N Humphries (A Willman 72); S Ott (c), J Grace; S Bratt, J Rowe, J Gay (T Hopkin 62); W Ford, E Ross; S Jones, W Carter, M Forsyth.

Penalty: S Ott.

Hemel Hempstead:

R Adde (c); M Cannon, R Willoughby, G Hathaway, J Waterman-Allen; D O'Brien, A Curtain; M Gibbs, P Chowles, G Clarke; D Abbott, J Cox; D Perry, C Bailey, B Knight. Replacements: R Jakeman, C Cooves.