Southampton 0pts, Alton 69pts

WHEN these teams last met in October, Alton ran out convincing winners 96-5, so there looked a good possibility the league leaders would consolidate their position at the top of Hampshire 1 with this game in hand over their nearest rivals.

Since that meeting, Southampton have won three out of their last five games, including a gutsy defeat against title challengers Ellingham & Ringwood.

But Alton needn’t have worried as they soared to a second thumping shutout in as many weeks to tighten their grip at the top.

On a beautiful breezy February day, Southampton were able to field only 13 players from the start, and it was soon clear Alton would likely run out impressive winners once again despite missing four players who were in county action next day.

Alton’s points difference is significantly better than their closest rivals in the league, but this team were hungry from the start to build that lead even further. Backs and forwards combined well all afternoon, offloading at every opportunity, and Southampton fought a rearguard action most of the game.

With the wind at their backs, Brendan Sumner opened the scoring for Alton in the first minute with Ryan Capes adding a second soon after with a well-worked try in the corner. And that was to be the story of the day as both Sumner and Capes went on to score hat-tricks. With Cameron Wicks converting both scores, it was 14-0 after only five minutes as Alton left the hosts shellshocked.

Matt Sellstrom then picked up the ball and crashed over from ten metres, and worse was to come for Southampton who then lost a player through injury. He was subsequently replaced by a late arrival, but by that time George Pantrey had scored from a quickly-taken penalty as Alton achieved their bonus point after only 14 minutes, jumping out to a 26-0 lead.

With Luke Parratt continuing to break through gaps in midfield, Southampton were pinned back into their own half, but they continued to try to run the ball out from under the shadow of their posts at every opportunity.

Alton ramped up the pressure and had good control at all set pieces, and from a five-metre lineout, Nick Stoffel scored after an Alton maul. Wicks kicked some impressive conversions from near the touchline in the first half, landing seven out of eight, and the score continued to mount.

Alton missed a couple of opportunities through knock-ons near the line but, with Wicks spinning the ball wide, the forwards combined well on the wing and Capes grabbed his second try in the corner, followed shortly by his first-half hat-trick try near the posts.

At the other end, Southampton had a great opportunity to threaten the Alton line, but the kick to the corner was missed and they paid the penalty as captain Tom Smethurst stole a lineout near halfway and Sumner eventually stormed down the line from halfway and ran under the posts largely unopposed to end the first half at 54-0.

It was more of the same in the second half as Charlie Conduct was just stopped shy of the line before Sellstrom added his second try, followed by a Matt Chapman try on 47 minutes, again after some quick thinking.

Southampton had sustained a number of injuries and were looking a little battered and bruised by this time, but to their great credit they hadhad a long period in the Alton half and tried everything to score after several Alton indiscretions.

But this Alton team just keeps going; they pride themselves on keeping a clean sheet and their defence stood strong once more. Sellstrom and Conduct eased the pressure up to halfway and Sumner completed his hat-trick in the corner after some quick passing in midfield.

Both teams then agreed to call the game off after 60 minutes, after Alton’s 11 tries and seven conversions.

The win leaves Alton six points clear at the top of Hampshire 1 from Ellingham & Ringwood and Farnborough with four games left – Overton (away), Romsey (home), Ellingham & Ringwood (away) and Ventnor (home).