ALTON 3, DOWNTON 0

A MUCH-IMPROVED Alton were good value for the three points against Downton at The Enclosure on Saturday.

A decent Downton side started brightly on the 3G surface and put Alton under pressure at the start, but without really threatening the home goal.

The Brewers were missing the suspended Adam Aimable, but Ali Gill and Mark Taylor marshalled the defence well and Downton had no luck with their long-ball tactics.

Taylor Watts began to put in some testing crosses at the other end, but it was against the run of play when Alton took the lead with their first real shot on target. Regan Hitch picked the ball up in midfield and his 30-yard shot beat floundering keeper Charlie Aldridge to find the back of the net.

This gave Alton self-belief and spurred them forward. Gill went close with a header and Gavin Muir was denied by Aldridge who gathered the ball at the second attempt.

Alton scored twice in the first 15 minutes of the second half to put the game beyond Downton. First, full-back Joe Green scored a contender for goal of the season – a shot from fully 35 yards that rocketed into the top corner.

Then Scott Sanderson released Muir who broke into the area before being grappled by the full-back. The referee pointed to the spot and Watts coolly sent the keeper the wrong way.

Aldridge and the Downton defence then stood firm, although the visitors had a lucky escape when a shot from Watts hit the base of the post with the keeper stranded.

Substitutes Jordan Holmes and Ryan Bunney looked lively for Alton and the latter just failed to find the target with a free-kick.

The match ended with Bunney cutting through the Downton defence, but his final lob was over both keeper and crossbar.

Alton, eighth in the Sydenhams League Division One table, will aim to play with the same energy and commitment when they travel to sixth-placed AFC Stoneham this Saturday.