Alton Town 1, US Portsmouth 4

And so it continues. The poor run that started at the turn of the year shows no sign of ending as Alton again slipped to a disappointing defeat against US Portsmouth on Saturday.

The first half was a bit of a non-event as both sides struggled with the swirling wind which made ball retention difficult. Chances were few and far between with most efforts by both sides sailing either harmlessly wide or straight at the goalkeepers.

But this all changed just before the break as Matt Petts was forced to make a save and concede a corner, from which Alton again switched off – a problem which has dogged them a lot of late – and allowed Harry Sergeant a free header to give the Portsmouth side the lead.

Worse was to follow at the start of the second half as US Portsmouth, with their tails up after the goal, began to control the game, whereas Alton were still struggling not only with the wind but with their confidence knocked as well. And it was the visitors who duly doubled their lead. Alton played a ball upfield which Matt Jackson failed to control on the halfway line, the ball broke forward and US Portsmouth’s Dec Seiden shot home from the edge of the box giving Petts in the Brewers goal no chance.

Worse followed for Alton as two soon became three when Callum Laycock turned in a cross at the near post, and the visitors put the game well out of Alton’s reach when Josh Smith picked up the ball some 30 yards from goal and rifled the ball into the top corner to make it 4-0. Alton pulled a goal back with 15 minutes left when Callum Burch received the ball on the right, beat his marker and sent a searing shot past the US Portsmouth goalkeeper and into the net.

But it proved no more than a consolation because although both sides huffed and puffed the wind really won the day, which was summed up by a Matt Graham cross that ended up 20 yards behind the point where he crossed the ball.

On Saturday, Alton Town travel to face Laverstock & Ford in Wessex League Division One (kick-off 3pm).

Alton Town: Petts, Adkins, Graham, Smith, Williams, Channon, Black, Osborne, Jackson, Burch. Subs: Taylor, Allaway, Muir, Corbett.

*Two goals midway through the second half from William Essai and Matt Rowland sealed a comfortable 3-1 win for Petersfield Town against Fawley in Wessex League Division One at Love Lane on Saturday after Gari Judd had given the Rams the lead in the 18th minute. Fawley scored a consolation goal eight minutes from time.

nIn the Premier Division, Alresford Town put the disappointment of a 4-1 drubbing at Horndean on Saturday behind them with a 3-1 win over Baffins Milton Rovers on Tuesday night courtesy of goals from Luke Rae, a Chris Mason penalty and Rudi Palmer.