AFTER a three-week break, it was back to league football for Alton on Saturday and they recorded only their second home win of the season with a fine display against their visitors from the Isle of Wight.
Cowes started brightly and forced the home side to defend in numbers. This meant that Alton were unable to deliver quality ball to their isolated strikers.
Twice, Cowes pumped dangerous balls into the penalty area, hoping to use their height advantage, and the Town defenders did extremely well to pressure the strikers into missing the target with towering headers.
Alton gradually raised their game, realising they had to work as hard as Cowes at finding space behind the defence and using the width of the park.
John Edwards forced the Cowes goalkeeper into a splendid diving save with a left-foot strike.
This seemed to give his side confidence and Danny McGarry missed a half-chance at the back post after a deep cross from Ian Dyer.
The opening goal came after half an hour. Lewis Field found room down the left to beat a defender and then delivered a ball into the box which Edwards controlled neatly before beating the 'keeper inside the right-hand post.
The second half started brightly for Alton as they pushed forward in search of a killer second goal.
And the game was all but over 15 minutes into the half, with Alton scoring twice in the space of five minutes.
Brian Wood's searching crossfield ball released Field who skipped round a defender before chipping the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
Then Dave Bridger's dangerous cross from the right was headed into his own net by a retreating defender, with Ian Dyer waiting to pounce.
Two more gilt-edged chances came and went. Bridger fired over the bar with just the 'keeper to beat and Field chose the wrong option, trying to release Bridger when it looked easier to score .
Cowes refused to lie down and Steve Sladen had to make three important saves in the last 15 minutes, with the strikers in good scoring positions .
But Alton almost had the last word when Bridger's curling shot from the right struck the crossbar with the goalkeeper well beaten
Alton's win was based on resolute defending by Steve Larvan, Simon Pullman and Mark Frisby who kept a good shape and discipline during that testing first half-hour.