Alton Town 1, Hythe & Dibden 2

A LATE penalty from Taylor Watts proved a mere consolation as gutsy Alton gave second-placed Hythe & Dibden a scare in Division One of the Sydenhams Wessex League on Saturday.

But it was Hythe who took the three points in an entertaining game as they kept up the pressure on leaders Amesbury Town with Alton in sixth.

Defences were on top for most of the game with clearcut chances at a premium – but the first chance fell to the Brewers as Reece Colbourne’s cross just evaded Jack Chandler in the box before Pittman hit a shot straight at Alton goalkeeper Lewis Boughton at the other end.

Matt Bunyan then shot wide as he got a sight of the Hythe goal from Ryan Thomas through ball before Pittman and Wyatt forced two more saves from Boughton in an end-to-end clash.

Jack Chandler and Bunyan linked up well with the latter forcing a smart save from Hythe goalkeeper Ellis Grant while Hythe skipper Wayne O’Dell was wide when well placed from a corner.

Pittman again threatened to give Hythe the lead, prompting another good save from Boughton, but the visitors were perhaps lucky not to go down to 10 men when Fillposs Terzidiz brought down Reece Colbourne but was only shown a yellow card as the sides went into half time goalless.

Hythe were a whisker away from taking the lead early in the second half but a header from former Southampton player Jo Tessam hit the post.

At the other end, good work by Gavin Muir and substitute Scott Sanderson earned Alton a corner from which Matt Graham’s shot was punched clear by Grant. The ball was headed back into the danger area by Thomas where Bunyan appeared to have been brought down by a Hythe defender but the referee waved away the Brewers penalty appeals.

And Hythe took full advantage moments later when Tessam gave his side the lead, firing home after a corner was only partially cleared.

The Brewers thought they had equalised minutes later when Muir’s cross was met by Bunyan but Grant somehow scrambled back to claw the ball off the goal line.

And they suffered the same fate when Sanderson’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by a Hythe defender.

Bouyed by the let-off, Hythe should have doubled their lead but O’Dell missed the target with a free header.

But Alton’s relief was short-lived as Hythe scored their decisive second goal when Sam Woodward cut in from the left and rifled an unstoppable shot past Boughton and into the far corner to all but seal the points.

There was just time for Watts to pull a goal back from the penalty spot when Bunyan was brought down by Dan Steer but it was too little too late.

*On Saturday, Alton Town continue their push toward the top echelons of Division One when they host struggling New Milton Town at The Enclosure (kick-off 3pm).