NOMADS 13, ALTON 7

ALTON, who had beaten third-placed Southampton the week before, missed a chance to move out of the bottom two by losing to fellow strugglers Nomads on Saturday.

The Southsea side had lost at Alton in the earlier Hampshire 2 fixture, but took their revenge in a close, well-contested game, despite the high winds and constant driving rain on Portsea Island.

Both teams started tentatively, but Nomads gradually used their superior strength in the forwards to dominate the set-pieces, giving their backs a platform to attack from.

Alton’s stoic defence held out for 30 minutes until Nomads’ pressure forced a mistake and full-back Jonathan Branston ran in unopposed from the 22 to break the deadlock. Branston was unable to convert his try in the tricky wind.

It was then Nomads’ turn to defend for long spells as Alton got their attack moving. The visitors eventually spread the ball wide and a flowing backs’ move sent Oscar Moseley clear down the right wing. Branston’s fine last-ditch tackle stopped him a metre short, but Rob Askew was following up and dived over a pile of bodies to touch down.

Aaron Harrington, with the help of a deflection off the post, kicked a superb wind-assisted conversion from the touchline and Alton took a 7-5 lead into the interval.

Nomads raised their game in the second half and took advantage when Alton were penalised for not rolling away from a ruck, Branston calmly slotting the ball over from 35 metres in the strong wind.

The next score would be vital and both teams defended well for a lengthy period.

With 10 minutes to go, the Southsea forwards set up a driving maul and the ball was spread wide. Winger James McCann was brought down five metres short, but the ball was quickly recycled and Jack Barnard powered through the narrowest of gaps to score an unconverted try.

Alton were not yet beaten and the Nomads defence only just held out under intense pressure.

This Saturday, Alton host fourth-placed Locksheath Pumas (ko 2.30 at Anstey Park).