Alton Silverbacks all-round display too much for plucky Alresford

With Storm Ciara fast approaching, Alresford made the short trip up the A31 to a bright and breezy Anstey Park to play Alton Silverbacks who were looking to close the gap at the top of the Hampshire Premiership.
Alton were forced into some late changes in this game, but eventually ran out convincing winners with forwards and backs aptly sharing the tries evenly. The combination of an experienced forward pack coupled with the lively youthful backs proved too much for Alresford in the end.
Both sides were guilty of early indiscretions, and from one of these Alresford took the lead with a superbly taken penalty from near halfway after only 6 minutes.
Alton seem stunned into action and exerted their first pressure on the Alresford line with Joe Gwyther kicking deep into the corner. The visitors line out was not straight and the dominant Alton scrum presented Oliver Burden the first try, as the lively scrum half jinked over to just touch down over the line. Gwyther converted and Alton were up and running after 11 minutes.
At fly half, Gwyther started testing the Alresford backs with a nice reverse pass and his quick thinking caught Alresford off guard. Alresford resisted the pressure with some last ditch tackling and escaped again when the Alton heavier forwards seemed destined to score, but were adjudged to have been driving up in the scrum.
Alresford defensive ability was keeping them in the game at this point but time and time again they failed to get over the gain-line going forward. Even with the increasing wind at their backs, they could not establish any dominance with territory or possession.
A scrappy Alresford line out was cleaned up by Burden who cut through the defence with a 30 metre burst, and with Alresford expecting Gwyther to pass to plenty of options outside, he cut through the line to score a well worked try. 14-3 after 25 minutes.
The wind started to have an impact on the game as Alresford released pressure with a booming kick into the Alton 22 for the first time in the game after 31 minutes. Alresford forced a turnover from 5 metres out but were unable to capitalise as they lost control of the ball with the Alton line at their mercy.
Alton ran out from under their own posts, Michael Robson was released on the left wing and soon Alresford were back again in their own half once more. Ed Lowman burst down the right hand wing at pace, the ball eventually being recycled and after interchange between backs and forwards, the stalwart Chris Gregory forced his way over the line- taking 3 Alresford defenders with him to celebrate his birthday accompanied by the background of an Anstey park serenade. 19-3 at half time.
At the break, Alton introduced more youth in the form of Arthur Rowe-Jones and George Frend and started the half brightly as they went in search of the bonus point try
The Alton forwards were winning battles all over the field with the pace and powerful running of Karter Whittock and David Shepherd notably causing Alresford issues.
The Alton forwards may have been feeling slightly aggrieved as Alresford were not able to contest the scrum in the second half, but in loose play they were equally dominant with the feisty Luke Parratt as ever leading the way - stealing one ball in the ruck and forcing another Alresford attacker into touch to the loud appreciation of his teammates.
The next few minutes may have been decisive as both sides were penalised for high tackles – the second of which on Alton’s Rowe-Jones looked much worse – and the Alresford centre was duly yellow carded.
Alton quickly took advantage, Gwyther again releasing Oli Fielder with a clever reverse pass, and it took a number of players to eventually bring down the powerful Fielder from scoring under the posts. However it was inevitable that with the 14-man Alresford defenders sucked into narrowly to defend their line, Alton span the ball wide and Rowe-Jones ran into the right hand corner to score the bonus point try with 22 minutes remaining
Ryan Capes, produced a monstrous hit on a seemingly oblivious Alresford forward as Alton kept up their extra intensity, Gwyther kept strong over the ball and from the resulting penalty and line out, it was fitting that Capes scored Alton’s fifth try in the corner with a determined run from 5 metres.
Again Fielder and Capes potent running caused the tiring Alresford defence to back track, and as finally the gaps began to open, the rapid Whittock scored from 30 metres with the final impressive try of the game down the left wing. Although a flanker, Whittock’s pace has been a feature of more than one game this season. A well taken Gwyther conversion capped off a fine display from the whole squad. 36-3.
Alresford battled bravely until the end, but failed to exert a period of sustained pressure all afternoon. Alton took the spoils and are now within 2 points of leaders Petersfield with 6 games left to play for both sides.