Verwood Town 1, Alton Town 7

Alton took the frustration of last week’s poor performance out on Verwood on Saturday.

The first half, in particular, was almost the complete performance as they tore Verwood apart at will, going in at the break 5-0 ahead before adding two more goals after the break.

Matt Bunyan had a header saved before Taylor Watts put Alton ahead on only three minutes. Max Smith broke up a Verwood move in midfield, found Chris Adkins, and his ball forward was deflected by Bunyan into the path of Watts who fired home first time from the edge of the box.

Buoyed by the early goal, Alton went for the jugular. Bunyan shot wide before a through ball from Scott Sanderson found Matt Jackson who was forced wide and the chance went begging, while a square ball by Bunyan was collected low down by Edward Tierney in the Verwood goal with Steve Black lurking.

But Alton weren’t to be denied and another through ball from Sanderson saw Jackson bear down on the home goalkeeper and he squeezed his shot home to double the away side’s lead on 17 minutes.

At the other end, Chris Adkins had to be alert to block a Verwood shot from Alexander Eaton on the edge of the box, before a cross was cleared away for a corner by Ben Williams. But these couple of chances only served to make Alton up their game and when Sanderson and Smith combined in midfield it was Smith who sent Bunyan away down the right wing with the full back floundering in his wake. Bunyan cut inside and squared the ball to an unmarked Steve Black to score at the far post with only 23 minutes gone.

Williams had to be alert again as Brewers goalkeeper Matt Petts came out to try to cut out a through ball and was just beaten to it by Nicholson, but the covering Williams saved his blushes and cleared.

Back came Alton and Black split the Verwood defence with an exquisite through ball which Smith ran on to, and as the Verwood goalkeeper came out to meet him he squared for Bunyan to score Alton’s fourth with barely half an hour played.

But Alton weren’t finished there as Bunyan and Watts combined to set up Sanderson at the near post, but his attempt was blocked for Alton’s first corner which fell to Jackson who saw his shot blocked.

The rampant Brewers scored their fifth just before the half-time break. Matt Graham swung in a free kick and as the goalkeeper came to collect Bunyan got there first and headed home his second goal from the edge of the area.

Five up at half time, Alton could have been excused for thinking it was job done, but they started the second half brightly.

Sanderson had a shot blocked before Verwood made a double change which failed to stem the Alton tide as Watts and Graham combined to send Black scurrying down the wing, but he was unable to pull his cross back into the middle.

Then somewhat against the run of play Verwood pulled a goal back. Awarded a free kick on the left, the ball was played into the box and fortuitously bounced off the knee of Charlie Heggan into the path of James Guthrie who poked the ball past Petts.

But this setback only managed to strengthen Alton’s resolve and after Watts was fouled Bunyan headed wide, a fine move down the wing involving Jackson and Max Meaton saw Bunyan head the chance straight at the keeper, and another cross and another Bunyan header saw Tierney go full length to save.

Verwood had two chances of their own in quick succession as, first, a free kick went over the bar before a shot by Eaton saw Williams clear off the line.

At the other end, Black shot wide before Alton scored their sixth goal. A cross from deep by Graham was headed back across goal by Bunyan to Black who swept the ball home to make it 6-1. Then Bunyan completed his hat-trick, and the scoring, from a corner.

Brewers boss Mark Corbett said: “I asked for a reaction to last week and I got it. The players owed that, to not only themselves and each other but to the club and supporters.”

* On Saturday, Alton Town travel to the Isle of Wight to face East Cowes Vics in Division One of the Wessex League (kick-off 3pm).

* On Tuesday night, Alton Town were beaten 3-2 by Camberley Town at Krooner Park to bow out of the first round of the Aldershot Senior Cup.

First-half goals from top scorer Matt Bunyan and Taylor Watts put the Brewers in charge before Camberley scored three times after the break, netting the winner 15 minutes from time.