SOUTHAMPTON 5, ALTON 12

ALTON, second from bottom in Hampshire 2, turned the form-book on its head by beating third- placed Southampton in a hastily re-arranged fixture.

Mud and almost continual rain at Test Park played a large part in disrupting the core skills of the players. Knock-ons were abundant, but it was Alton who dug deepest to emerge victors.

Southampton dominated the scrums with their much heavier pack and often marched the Alton eight backwards. This should have been a strong weapon for them, but Alton had their Masters’ manager and ex-club captain, the rejuvenated Tony Hopkin, playing at No 8.

As quickly as Southampton got the push on, Hopkin had the ball out from under his second rows’ feet and was breaking around the flanks, making ground and hanging up great ball for George Pantry to distribute.

Alton forced their way up to Southampton’s 22 and, with just five minutes gone, forced a penalty, which Joe Gwyther calmly slotted between the posts

Hopkin came to the rescue when Alton were awarded a scrum on their own goal-line. Under intense pressure, he picked up the bobbling ball and carried it out towards the 22 before popping a pass for Gwyther to launch a 45-metre kick downfield.

Gwyther’s boot was to contribute all Alton’s points. A great bit of work by Ryan Bale led to another Southampton indiscretion at the breakdown and Gwyther kicked Alton into a 6-0 lead after 20 minutes.

If the scrum was one-sided, then Leo Gardner’s efforts ensured the lineout was ruled by Alton. He collected his own ball at the front with great efficiency, while stealing a number of the home side’s and really putting their hooker’s arm under pressure.

In the space of five minutes, Southampton again went off their feet and were then caught crossing in midfield and Gwyther slotted both penalties to give Alton a 12-0 advantage.

An increasingly frustrated Southampton finally put together a few nice phases and their pack flopped over the line before half-time; 12-5 and the game in the balance.

The second half saw the type of co-ordinated and whole-hearted defensive effort that Alton’s supporters have rarely witnessed this season. All the players put in a shift as they followed the lead of skipper Adam Hoxey who turned more than a few balls over on the ground.

Pantrey went off with a hamstring injury early in the second half, but Alton had an able replacement in Mike Robson, who moved up from full-back to 9.

With 30 minutes to go and Alton out of replacements, Matt Chapman, who had earlier gone off injured, returned – foot and boot taped up – ready to punch more holes around the breakdown and earn his side valuable metres.

Harry Devonshire was outstanding with his defensive duties, once carrying for 30 metres from his own goal area.

Alton held on grimly in the final quarter. Southampton’s constant pressure in the scrums led to three penalties in quick succession, the last in front of the posts five metres out. Needing more than three points, the home side elected to scrummage again and again, but the soft going negated their weight advantage and the last scrum eventually buckled, leaving Alton club stalwart Ian Thorn down and in immense pain.

With barely a minute left, and the neighbouring pitch unfit for play, the referee took the sensible, if frustrating for Southampton, decision to blow the final whistle.

A morale-boosting win for an Alton side who have had to adapt to last-minute changes and a different starting line-up from one week to the next. Tacklers of the day were many, but Ali Dow, Matt Chapman and Leo Gardner deserve special credit.

Thorn, who was taken to hospital by ambulance, has suffered probable muscular damage, but the prognosis is much better than first feared.

Another big game for Alton this Saturday when they visit Southsea Nomads, just one place and two points above them.