Alton 4 Amesbury 2: ANOTHER three Wessex Premier League points for the Brewers – but they had to battle hard in difficult weather conditions.

While rain is never likely to effect their ability, wind is the one thing that can spoil the spectacle on any surface – and windy it was.

With a howling gale blowing straight down the pitch, it was always likely to be a game of two distinct halves – and the home side played into the worst of those conditions in the first half.

Trailing 1-0 at half-time to a shot from 30 yards that flew into the net, Alton were always confident they would be able to dominate possession and territory in the second half against their very determined visitors, who were battling doggedly and belying their position at the bottom of the table.

The Brewers needed to be patient – and had to wait until the 65th minute before Ollie Graham delightfully directed a free kick into the net from 25 yards for the equaliser.

Two minutes later the visitors retook the lead in a rare sortie into the home side’s last third. A hopeful ball forward was held up in the wind, wrong-footing the defence and the striker finished well past the onrushing Kieran Greene in the home goal.

Alton poured forward – having added Rob Carr to the attack at half-time, Luke Perkins was also brought on to add even more pace and strength to the attack.

The second equaliser arrived on 75 minutes. Carr and Matt Benham combined to release the marauding Jamie Phillips from right back, and he drove into the box in his trademark style, inviting a lunging last-ditch challenge which earned his side a penalty.

Graham calmly hit home his second goal of the afternoon.

The home side finally led after 82 minutes, Perkins finishing well when the ball was pinballing around in the visitors’ penalty area.

Two minutes later and it was game over. Perkins drove inside from the left across the box and crashed a shotagainst the crossbar. George Bowerman reacted quickest to the difficult rebound to evade a defender and hook the ball home from ten yards.

There was still time for another delightful move down the right that ended with Bowerman finishing from six yards – but unfortunately he was a fraction offside, the flag ruling out a super team goal.

Once again Alton worked hard and played some really good football.