ALTON 57, KINGSCLERE 0

ALTON’S Hampshire 2 season continued to gather momentum as they became the latest team to crush bottom side Kingsclere who have now lost seven games on the bounce.

This was Kingsclere’s first competitive visit to Anstey Park and although they arrived short on numbers and then suffered injuries which reduced them to 13 by the end of the game, they never gave up and were still pressing hard at the final whistle.

Beset with weather of almost biblical proportions at times – driving, painful rain and high winds – Alton finally discovered they can adapt to both the conditions and opposition.

They had the best possible start when, after two minutes, second row Chris Gregory broke free from a melee on the 22-metre line to touch down under the posts, leaving Simon Ford with a simple conversion.

The home forwards were dominant at this stage and soon drove over to give No 8 Tom Smethurst a try and Ford another conversion.

Kingsclere fought back and spent ten minutes in the Alton half, but then had the ball stolen and winger Ed Lowman raced away from the 10-metre line to touch down out wide for an unconverted try.

Leading 19-0 at half-time, Alton reappeared in their yellow-and-green change strip which proved a good choice as the light faded rapidly.

Alton picked up the pace with a spectacular try from stand-off Mark Crowther who wove his way through the Kingsclere defence without a hand touching him to score under the sticks. Ford was grateful for another short-range kick in the strong wind.

Ten minutes later, second row Will Ford, in sharp contrast to Crowther’s effort, charged straight through anyone who stood in his way to score, and again Simon Ford added the extras.

Near the end of the third quarter, it was the turn of debutant winger Rob Askew to demonstrate his pace with a powerful run down the flank, and this time Ford nailed the conversion from an angle. Then Ed Dickinson tore down the other flank from his own 22 to score out wide. Ford missed this one.

As Kingsclere tired, Alton ran the ball constantly and another newcomer, centre David Shepherd, used his strength and running skills to force his way over from halfway. Ford added the conversion.

All credit to depleted Kingsclere, they put every effort into forcing Alton back in an effort to be the last to score. Unfortunately for the visitors, they lost the ball, and from within their own in-goal area, Alton shipped the ball out to Lowman who skirted round the opposition to score Alton’s ninth try of the match. This time, Crowther missed the conversion.

Chris Gregory was named man of the match for his excellent all-round performance.

Alton welcome Isle of Wight side Ventnor to Anstey Park this Saturday (ko 2.30pm). Ventnor are currently third, four points ahead of Alton in fifth place. It promises to be a competitive game.