Alton Town 2, US Portsmouth 1

TWO goals in the last five minutes earned battling Alton Town a dramatic 2-1 win over third-placed US Portsmouth at The Enclosure on Saturday.

It also saw them bounce back from only one point in the previous four league games to move up to fifth place in Division One of the Sydenhams Wessex League.

The game, played in heavy rain throughout, was a tight and cagey affair with both defences on top, and it was no surprise that the first half ended goalless.

The chances that both sides created were well dealt with by the respective goalkeepers.

Alton’s best chance fell to George Bowerman, but the ball wouldn’t sit down sufficiently for him to make proper contact. The chance came when Steve Black shot from distance and the US Portsmouth keeper could only parry the ball into the path of Bowerman. But it fell at an awkward height and the goalkeeper and a defender combined to smuggle the ball out for a corner.

The second half was as cagey as the first with neither side on top and chances at a premium, and it looked as though with both keepers on the top of their game that one goal would settle the match.

So Alton feared the worst when on 77 minutes US Portsmouth broke down Alton’s right and the cross was powerfully headed home by Jeffes.

The goal celebration suggested that the visitors thought they had done enough to steal the points, but they hadn’t bargained on Alton’s resilience.

With time running out, Alton forced a corner on their left. Matt Benham swung the ball in which evaded everyone except Phil Moore, arriving at the far post, who fired home the equaliser with his left foot.

With their tails up and the game heading into injury time Alton attacked with gusto and a fine move involving both substitutes saw Jack Fowler cross from the left and find Liam Knight who was perfectly placed to plant the ball into the back of the net to send Alton’s supporters into raptures.

The Brewers will be looking to build on this deserved win when they head to Ringwood Town on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

Alton Town: Courtnage, Phillips, M Graham, O Graham, Moore, Evans, Black, Benham, Perkins, Bowerman, Sanderson. Subs (all used): Hitch, Fowler, Knight.

*Three first-half goals were enough to book Alton’s place in the third round of the Russell Cotes Cup at The Enclosure on Tuesday night. Jack Fowler, Liam Knight and Phil Moore, from the penalty spot, were on target in the 3-0 win over Wessex Premier Division side AFC Stoneham.