Alton Silverbacks’ Keep Their Unbeaten Record

The last time these 2 teams played each other was in April, a closely fought match between the top 2 teams then in Hampshire 1, when Alton secured the League Championship by a narrow 5-point win.
This match, which was a combined League and Hampshire Plate fixture, was also closely contested with Ellingham & Ringwood’s performance making a mockery of their low league position.
The home team scored first when, following early pressure and good recycling, number 8 Ben Warren collected an unconverted try; 5-0.
Ellingham kept up the pressure for the next 15 minutes or so, but the Silverbacks defence held up well although flanker Ryan Capes was sin-binned for apparent foul play.
Although reduced to 14 men Alton took the game back to the home side whose defence was finally breached when wing Lewis Wilkins scored out on the left; 5-5.
Ellingham had the last shout at the end of the first half when the Silverbacks’ defence, again depleted because of a second yellow card, was finally breached by their scrum-half, Dave Jones; 10-5.
Early in the second period Alton’s fly-half, Joe Gwyther narrowed the gap to just 2 points with a successful penalty. Alton then gifted the home side a try when an attempted cross-field kick landed in the arms of centre Matt Raybold who scampered the length of the field to give his full back, Chris Pablo Frost, an easy conversion on 47 minutes; 17-8.
This game should have turned against the Silverbacks at this point, but they showed a great deal of commitment and the will to win. Eventually they were rewarded when they got their passing game working and sent Wilkins over for his second try; 17-13.
With less than 10 minutes to go they were rewarded when, somewhat bizarrely, scrum-half Mike Robson, 15 metres out, attempted a cross field kick towards Wilkins. He miscued and the ball bounced off the post upright landing in Ellingham’s in-goal area, he was the first to realise what had happened and touched down to give Gwyther an easy conversion; 17-20.
Although in front Alton were not yet safe and put an immense amount of pressure on the home side’s defence. Two minutes from the end they were awarded a scrummage 10 metres out, the forwards drove their opposition back and number 8 Dan Napier was the grateful recipient of a pushover try to which Gwyther added the coup de gras; 17-27.
With this victory Alton Silverbacks still the only unbeaten side in the Hampshire Premiership, and have just one more match in the first half of the league season when they are away to Bognor on Saturday 14th December.
This match also decided a Hampshire Plate fixture and Alton will host their semi-final against Locks Heath Pumas on 8th February.
They now have the luxury of the next 2 weekends being fixture free.