Alton Silverbacks’ Keep Their Unbeaten Record

Yet another match played in torrential rain, however Havant have an excellent all-weather pitch and floodlights, and both teams contributed to a well contested, and very competitive game, in which the lead changed 5 times.
Havant Dolphins (the club’s 2nd XV) opened the scoring within 6 minutes of the start. Alton gave away a penalty and a clever cross kick put the winger in on the left, their kicker was very unlucky when his conversion attempt rebounded off the upright.
The Silverbacks reacted to this setback taking the game into the home side’s half where Havant knocked on, a clean heel saw the ball quickly moved out to Ollie Burden who snaked his way in from 35 metres out, Cameron Wicks making the conversion from the touch line, Alton now led 5-7.
Alton’s confidence now began to assert itself and good support saw them encamped in the Dolphin’s 22 metre area, the Silverbacks may have scored earlier, but the ball was dropped on a couple of occasions when scoring may have been easier. Eventually, on 20 minutes, Nick Stoffel finished off a forward drive for the Silverbacks’ 2nd try, this was converted, 5-14.
5 minutes later Havant scored a somewhat fortunate try close to the posts, although the ball appeared to have been dropped the referee was unsighted and awarded it in good faith, 12-14.
Just before half-time they added to their score when the Alton defence failed to tidy up a bouncing ball in their own in-goal area and the half-time score became 19-14.
Havant failed to tidy up the kick-off properly and conceded a penalty which was narrowly missed. The Silverbacks’ belief in themselves was growing and they encamped in the home team’s half, where they spent most of the second period. 8 minutes in Alton put together an excellent handling move finished off by Alex Hankins, Wicks added the conversion, 19-21.
However, the Dolphins on one of their rare forays into Alton territory punished loose handling when they collected their 4th and bonus point try on 51 minutes, the conversion was missed, 24-21.
Stung by this Alton encamped in their opponents’ half and eschewed the chance of points, declining at least 3 kickable penalties, one success would have brought the scores level, for ground position.
They kept up the pressure from the lineouts following the penalties, but the Dolphins’ excellent defence held firm. But 5 minutes from the end Silverbacks’ skipper Tom Smethurst was finally able to capitalise on incessant forward pressure to score Alton’s bonus point try, Wicks gratefully accepting the further 2 points on offer, 24-28.
Havant reacted positively and forced their visitors back on their own goal-line, but Alton’s defence held strong until the final whistle.
With this victory Alton Silverbacks are now the only unbeaten side in the Hampshire Premiership, Petersfield having beaten Sandown & Shanklin on their own ground. Next Saturday the Silverbacks will welcome the Islanders to Anstey Park, kick-off 14:30, and will hope to continue their current run.