Alton 118pts, Trojans II 0pts

AS the result suggests, Alton were totally dominant in this fixture – although they were made to work for every point they scored.

And those points came courtesy of eight tries and 14 conversions as Alton racked up 118 points without reply.

Cameron Wicks was the first to sign on to the scoresheet with an unconverted try after No8 Matt Sellstrom picked up at the back of a scrum and fed George Pantry who popped the ball up to Wicks. Five minutes later winger Tom Burgess also benefited from Pantry when he made a superb back-flip pass. Joe Gwyther added the extras.

Ryan Bale was the next to make an impression when he made a jinking run, interchanging passes with other players for half the length of the pitch to put centre Oli Fielder in for another converted try, while Bale was rewarded with the next try, again converted by Gwyther, as Alton took complete control.

The forwards then decided it was their turn and second row Chris Gregory used his not unsubstantial bulk to force his way over, giving Gwyther another opportunity to add two points, before hooker Luke Parratt finished off another move which was typical of the handling skills and the good support running shown by the whole team all afternoon. The conversion meant Alton led 40-0 against a shellshocked Trojans with just 30 minutes gone.

And things got worse for the visitors as a penalty kick by Trojans failed to find touch and Bale went off on one of his runs before feeding Burgess to claim his second of the afternoon.

The forwards then took their turn again when Sellstrom touched down following a well-controlled drive from a lineout while another break by Sellstrom led to Burgess claiming his hat-trick, which Gwyther again converted as Alton led 57-0 at half-time.

The first 10 or so minutes of the second half were, compared to the first, very quiet, until Gregory set off on a solo charge from the halfway line. He outsprinted everyone to score his second try. Sellstrom followed his example moments later when he scored off the back of a scrum.

Another fine break by Bale led to Parratt’s second touch down, which was followed by Fielder’s second, resulting from some excellent re-cycling after a move broke down. Burgess picked up his fourth try of the match before prop Nick Stoffel scored from a lineout as the points mounted up against the beleagured Trojans.

The next try came from Burgess, his fifth. From the re-start, man of the match Chris Gregory charged off again to set up a ruck and his fellow second row, Tom Smethurst, duly finished the move with yet another try. And the final score came from the kick-off when the forwards forced their way up field, with flanker Karter Whitlock touching down.

Gwyther, with his new pair of boots, converted eight of the nine second-half tries to add to the six he had kicked in the first half.

Alton are still tied with Farnborough at the top of Hampshire 1 on 60 points. However, the results last Saturday went Alton’s way. Farnborough overcame Overton 34-24, which means that although they gained a try bonus point, they now trail Alton by 123 game points.

On Saturday, Alton face a double-header at sixth-placed Locksheath Pumas in a game which counts in both Hampshire 1 and the semi-final of the Hampshire Plate knockout competition.