Abingdon United 3

Alton Town 0

THIS was bottom (almost) of the Hellenic League Premier, step five against step six in the non-league pyramid, so on paper perhaps not a lot of difference in the playing standards, but in reality the higher level held sway with what was on the day a comfortable victory for the home side in this FA Vase second qualifying round clash.

The first thing to catch the eye was the strange colouring of the match ball – a sort of washed out green – which has seemingly been supplied to all Hellenic League Clubs and the home side had the chance to put said ball in the net in the opening 60 seconds but Sam Wharton, unmarked, sent his shot wide from 12 yards.

The visitors responded with efforts from Mark Corbett and Liam Knight that were saved by Jake Pritchard in the home goal before Abingdon missed another chance, Thomas Butler sending the ball the wrong side of the post with goalkeeper Matt Petts stranded on his line.

The yellow-shirted home side were enjoying much the greater share of possession and two corners in quick succession posed danger – the first headed narrowly past his own post by an Alton defender and the second, from Joe Green, only inches too high.

A poor challenge from Abingdon’s Ollie Leach warranted considerably more than a lecture from the referee, causing childishness to reign for a few minutes, predominately from the home side.

Sanity then returned along with the first goal just after the half-hour mark as Alton twice failed to properly clear crosses from the right flank before a third was tucked home by Nathan Baker inside the six-yard box.

Alton were generally outnumbered up front and after another cynical challenge, this time by the home side’s Kyle Moss, had also gone unchallenged the half-time break was more than welcome.

The second half got off to a better start with an increase in action in the final thirds of the field. Alton’s Callum Birch had a shot blocked and at the other end Petts saved well from Moss and then had to quickly leave his line to deny Wharton after the referee played a good advantage.

Leach, who showed signs of being a decent player when he was not whinging at the referee, had a 20-yard effort saved by Petts, who then showed an unorthodox side to his goalkeeping by kicking away a cross when under little pressure.

A Burch cross caused some panic in the home area but there was an absence of white shirts before Alton made two substitutions and gave away one of the season’s strangest free kicks when Callum Burch caught a bouncing ball on the touchline in readiness for a throw - only to find that the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

After full back Jack Wright had seen a shot deflected onto and then over the crossbar, Alton fell two behind. The move started down the right, Wharton cleverly laid the cross in to the path of substitute Milo Murgatoyd, who scored with what was probably his second touch of the ball.

With 20 minutes left to play, Alton never really looked like pulling the game back and their cause was not helped when Danny Knee limped off to leave them with 10 men, the full quota of replacements having already been used.

Alton did create a chance in the 90th minute but Burch pulled the shot wide of the post, and then to add insult to injury the hosts added a third in stoppage time.

A corner resulted in a goalmouth scramble during which Petts made two point-blank saves before Tyler Sims, another substitute, lashed the loose ball high in to the net for a 3-0 scoreline.