Alton Rugby Football Club

United Services Too Good for Alton

Sat 18 Oct 2014, 15:00

US Portsmouth

69 - 0

Alton

US Portsmouth

With ten of last week’s players unavailable due mainly to injury and with a further five positional changes,it was a vastly different Alton team that took on United Services on Saturday.

Alton's problems were not helped by a clash of strip colours in that both sides were playing in what appeared to be red and black hoops; United Services claimed theirs were “Navy Blue!” The referee apparently accepted this at first although the home side did finally change into white shirts at half-time.

In fine sunny autumnal conditions Alton kicked off but unfortunately the ball did not travel the required ten metres.  United Services attacked immediately with a good flowing move (a sign of things to come) and were only halted by a forward pass.  The first score came when Alton were penalised for holding on; Services kicked to touch and from the resultant line-out drove over the goal line. The conversion was missed.

Alton were awarded a penalty of their own and ran the ball, but having worked a good position the final pass was wayward, going into touch.  United Services, a much improved side from last year put together another attack and were only foiled by Ed Lowman’s excellent tackle.  However under great pressure Alton conceded a second penalty for going over the top taking the score to 8–0 to the home side.

The home side continued to pressurise Alton but good defence kept them out until the referee again penalised the visitors, this time for offside and the score moved to 11–0 with twenty-five minutes played.

Again Services attacked but Alton kept their backs at bay. Howeve, on thirty minutes the home side turned to their forwards who rumbled over under the points to take the core to 18–0.

Alton found their feet and hands sustaining a ten minute period on the attack but were unable to convert their pressure into points.  Just on half-time Alton conceded another penalty for a deliberate knock-on. This was followed by a superb line of running by the United Services winger, giving him a thirty metre run in under the posts, taking the half-time score to 28–0.

United Services are a good, fit, cohesive and physical side, proved by Alton conceeding a further seven tries in the second half. Fortunately the home kicker, at times, seemed to have lost his kicking boots since he only managed to convert three of these. To Alton’s credit they did not give up and as the final whistle blew they were deep in the home side’s half seeking a consolation score.

The undoubted effort put in by the whole side, especially those Alton players who stepped up to help the Club out with their selection problems, the way the whole team kept going for the full eighty minutes, showed that there is a good Club spirit.  It was not the result Alton wanted but there is the opportunity to get back on the winning trail with the visit of Team Solent (Solent University) to Anstey Park next Saturday, kick-off 3:00 p.m.

Referee: Ian Britton (HRURS)

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