Amesbury Town 3, Alton Town 1

ALTON’S run of six games unbeaten came to an abrupt end on Saturday away at highflying Amesbury.

Amesbury Town shone in the sunshine to retain their top two placing in Division One thanks to a dominant first-half performance that saw them three ahead at the break.

They then held off a spirited comeback attempt from Alton in the second half.

In front of a larger than usual attendance, the game took some time to get going with the first excitement being an attempted Amesbury clearance that became an ‘up and under’ in rugby parlance and landed in the six-yard box before being cleared with some difficulty.

A stray pass and an awkward challenge gave the visitors a free kick on the edge of the area but Matt Bunyan’s effort was wide before the home side took the lead 13 minutes in to the game. Some neat play down the left by Tom Plant and Danny Finnigan earned a corner and Plant’s kick was more or less punched into the net by goalkeeper Lewis Boughton, but the winger will undoubtedly claim the goal.

The unlucky goalkeeper redeemed himself with a smart save from a Finnigan snapshot moments later and the home side had a strong penalty appeal turned down, the referee adjudging correctly that it was ball to hand from close range.

Another free kick for Alton on the edge of the area saw Matt Graham’s effort hit the defensive wall before Amesbury doubled their lead after 25 minutes.

Full back Connor Palmer hoisted a long diagonal cross into the area and Finnigan’s header from near the penalty spot looped over Boughton, who was caught in no man’s land.

An early Alton substitution saw Liam Knight replace the injured Reece Colbourne and Bunyan went close with a diving header before a spell of two to three minutes when Amesbury midfielder Luke Greenway appeared to totally monopolise the ball. A run into the box from the right saw an effort cleared off the line – though a pass to the unmarked Finnigan on the far post may have been a better option - and this was followed by a second run when he outpaced Knight only to see the advancing goalkeeper block the shot with his legs.

Some more clever control and ball juggling earned a corner before the extraordinary cameo ended with a header into the side netting from Lee Weeks’ cross. There was still time, albeit stoppage time, for Amesbury to make it three as a free kick to the far post was headed back across goal by Jack Vallis and the ball was turned in by Jordon Matthews.

Amesbury replaced Tyler Brockway with George Higgins at the start of the second half with Matthews moving up front, but it was the visitors who made the better start to the half.

Gavin Muir was denied by an offside flag that must have been very close and Higgins picked up a yellow card for an ugly challenge that on another day could have been red.

The possession was now very much in Alton’s favour with Amesbury sitting on their heels, and they gained some reward as the half reached its halfway point. Steve Black drove a free kick past the defensive wall, home goalkeeper Dave Cardus couldn’t hold it and George Spiers was quickest to the loose ball to make it 3-1.

Nic Turpin replaced the now limping Matthews and, after Cardus had foiled Bunyan, Turpin saw a header saved and a free kick rebound to safety off the defensive wall.

Still the visitors kept coming forward and after a Matt Graham corner bounced off the face of the crossbar they were denied a second goal with what many saw as possibly controversial circumstances. Bunyan chased a through ball, Cardus came out but was always likely to be second to the ball, the players collided and the ball finished in the net, but Cardus was awarded a free kick by the referee.

And that proved to be the final action of the game and Alton, despite their efforts, had too much to do after the break on what was an enjoyable afternoon in the aforementioned sunshine.

On Saturday, eighth-placed Alton are at home to Fawley AFC at Anstey Park (kick-off 3pm).