Alton 5, Pewsey Vale 1

Alton welcomed Wessex new boys Pewsey Vale to The Enclosure on Saturday – and sent them packing on the end of a defeat that really should have been much more convincing.

Starting their first game league game under new manager Kevin Adair, and fielding only four first team players from last season, Alton were left scratching their heads as to how they didn’t reach double figures.

The Brewers should have gone in front within three minutes as Luke Perkins squared for Oli Graham, but from the edge of the six-yard box his shot sailed over the bar, and soon after George Bowerman crossed and Scott Sanderson shot into the side netting.

But the goal wasn’t long in coming as Bowerman swept home a cross to give Alton a deserved lead – a lead that lasted only one minute as Pewsey equalised when the ball somehow evaded all the Alton defenders and Justin Courtnage in goal was caught napping.

This setback spurred Alton on and it became one-way traffic for the rest of the half as Oli Graham headed over while Perkins and Sanderson combined and the latter’s shot was saved by Ellis in the Pewsey goal.

Perkins then had a shot of his own before Ellis saved from Bowerman with his legs.

But Alton finally regained the lead when, from a Matt Graham corner, Sanderson’s shot was cleared off the line. The ball was played back to Graham whose cross was powerfully headed home by Sean Evans.

Alton then came close again as Liam Knight and Sanderson played a lovely one-two but Knight dragged his shot wide.

Pewsey had a rare foray forward and Craig Lewis shot wide before Sanderson increased Alton’s lead to 3-1.

Bowerman had a shot from the edge of the area blocked and the rebound fell to Sanderson who scored at the near post.

The onslaught continued when Knight was fouled on the edge of the box, but Regan Hitch put the free kick just too high.

At the other end, Alton’s defenders had to be alert as first Mark Taylor cleared and then Courtnage was forced to go full stretch to save a shot from Bunce.

The second half was more of the same as Pewsey struggled to get out of their own half, and Knight increased the lead as he picked the ball up on the halfway line, drove at the Pewsey defence, played a one-two with Bowerman and gave the keeper no chance for Alton’s fourth.

Perkins then shot wide, before the fifth goal arrived. Knight got down the left wing and pulled the ball back to Perkins on the edge of the area and his first-time shot found the top corner.

Bunce then hit the Alton bar as the game began to peter out, although there was time for Pewsey’s Jake Force-Jones to become the first player into the sin bin.

Back came Alton again as Knight shot over and Perkins had a shot saved by Ellis’ legs again before the game ended almost as it started with Bowerman somehow lifting his shot over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

A satisfactory start for the new management team, who will surely come up against better sides in the nine months ahead.

On Saturday, Alton travel to face Division One rivals Downton (kick off 3pm).

Alton: Courtnage, Black, Graham, Hitch, Evans, Taylor, Sanderson, Knight, Graham, Bowerman, Perkins. Subs: Devlin, Green, Rolfe, Gill, Douglas.