Alton Town, now making progress up the table in their first season of Jewson Wessex League football, are attracting interest from other clubs.

Dr Martens Eastern League club Burnham have requested permission to talk to midfielder John Edwards, and scouts from AFC Bournemouth and Crewe Alexandra have watched Alton's youthful side in recent league matches.

And all this pleases manager Dave Hawtin. "It's good that we're being noticed and I would never discourage my players from wanting to play at a higher level," he said.

Edwards (22), formerly of Farnham Town and Sandhurst, is likely to speak to Burnham, although the attraction of playing locally could well keep him at Alton for at least this season.

With club captain Jayme Sporton nearing full fitness after breaking his collar-bone early in the season, Alton are close to having a clean bill of health – which will present Hawtin with the kind of problem usually described as "nice", but never really so. How to select 14 from 17 players who are all obviously first-team material?

The manager has a while to ponder his next selection. Alton had no league fixture last Saturday and on Tuesday their Aldershot Senior Cup match at Hartley Wintney was postponed. They are away to Andover this Saturday. Next Tuesday, they entertain Moneyfields in the second round (1st leg) of the Jewson Wessex League Cup.

Alton Reserves are home to Gosport Borough in the Combination on Saturday.