This was always going to be a closely fought battle between the top 2 teams in Hampshire 1, virtually a cup final. Ellingham needed to beat Alton to maintain their hopes of the Championship, Alton needed just to draw.
Alton never underrated the opposition and fielded one of their strongest possible sides, as did the home team.
On a beautiful spring afternoon, the game kicked off in front of a large vocal crowd. Ellingham had held a reunion luncheon before the match but only slightly outnumbered their visitors, Alton having filled 2 coaches for the occasion.
During the first 10 minutes the teams sized each other up, Alton were more dominate in the scrummage and lineout, Ellingham very effective in the backs.
Ellingham were the first to score on 10 minutes when they were awarded a penalty 10 metres in front of the posts; 3-0
On 17 minutes Alton’s Luke Parratt was adjudged to have slowed the ball down illeagally and he was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Alton dug in and despite the inequality in numbers forced their way towards the home goal line, number 8 Tony Hopkin mounted a charge and from the resultant maul the ball was recycled to the backs, where centre Bren Sumner finished the move in the corner; Joe Gwyther put his conversion over from just 2 yards inside the touchline; 3-7.
On the half-hour Ellingham were the next to score when their forwards put together a good drive to cross for an unconverted try; 8-7. They followed this up with another 5 points some 4 minutes later when their excellent backs put together a crisp handling move to put them ahead 13:7.
On the stroke of half-time Alton were awarded a penalty which was quickly taken, centre Oli Fielder finishing off the move, Gwyther converted the try and Alton led by the narrowest of margins 13-14.
2 minutes into the second half Alton were awarded a lineout on the Ellingham 22 metre line, a clean catch allowed the drive to be set up, there was no stopping it and captain Tom Smethurst was credited with the score, Gwyther again converting; 13-21.
Immediately from the resultant restart Alton’s left wing, Oli Burden took a clean catch and headed up his touchline, in spite of couple of despairing tackles he glided the whole way to the goal-line for a most impressive solo score. This also earnt a try bonus point, unfortunately Gwyther could not emulate his earlier successes; 13-26
The next significant event happened when Alton were reduced to 14, Parratt committing his second yellow card offence and he had to sit out the remaining 30 minutes of the match.
Ellingham pressurised their depleted visitors, who had to reshuffle their pack, and replace 2 other players through injury. A converted try for the home side some 4 minutes later had a degree of inevitability; 20-26. However, Alton recovered their poise and headed back into opposition territory and on 52 minutes were awarded a penalty for holding on which Gwyther gratefully converted in points; 20-29.
Alton held on for another 12 minutes but then conceded a penalty near their own line, Ellingham opted for a scrum and pushed Alton’s 7 men back scoring their bonus try which was converted; 27-29.
Just 2 points adrift Ellingham threw everything at Alton, but 10 minutes of stout defence followed and there was no change in the score. That was until Alton broke out into the opposite half and were awarded a penalty, Gwyther took the chance to widen the gap to 5 and the final whistle sounded soon after.
An exciting game of rugby between the 2 best sides in the league, which resulted in 2 bonus points for the home side, and 4 league and 1 bonus point for Alton. Alton are 4 points ahead of Ellingham who have finished their campaign and are Champions of Hampshire 1, Ellingham will finish in a well-deserved second place.
It has been an impressive performance by the whole squad all season and Alton can celebrate their Hampshire 1 adventure by putting “the icing on the cake” when they entertain Ventnor RFC next Saturday 6th April in Anstey Park, kick-off 3:00 p.m. t