ALTON 1,

POOLE 1

IT was honours even in the top-of-the-table clash as Alton made a belated start to the second half of the Hampshire 3 season, last week’s fixture having been called off.

The leaders headed to Dorset knowing that second-placed Poole would be fired up for this pivotal game after their 3-0 win away to New Forest.

Unbeaten Alton looked nervy at first and came under heavy pressure, but dogged defence from Dan Trim and Scott Reading and important saves from Lawrence Jones kept Poole at bay.

However, 15 minutes in, Alton’s hard-pressed defence cracked under the strain and quick passing between Poole’s James Wilson and Jonny Dane resulted in a tap-in goal for the home side.

Late in the half, Alton began to claw their way into the game and chances fell to Stuart Gagen and James Goulding-Stewart, but Poole took their narrow lead into the break

Alton began the second half still coming to terms with being behind for the first time this season. Sensibly, they slowed the play down and began to move the ball around with more composure.

Poole were still a threat, but they became increasingly frustrated with Alton having the lion’s share of possession.

Alton’s patience was finally rewarded. They won a short corner and Reading made no mistake as he drilled the ball into the bottom corner to set up a tense finish.

Both sides went all out in the last minutes, with two Poole players receiving green cards as the game heated up.

In the last moments, Poole threw everything they had at the visitors, but more saves from man-of-the-match Jones and a huge defensive effort from the whole team preserved Alton’s unbeaten record and netted them a vital point.

Their 11-game winning streak ended in their toughest match of the season, but they remain four points ahead of Poole with a game in hand.

Alton head to Dorset again this Saturday, this time to face Wimborne II.