Last gasp agony for Alton Silverbacks in derby day thriller

No shortages on display here. Both teams gave it their all – with the defensive side of Field and Alton largely on top in a stop start affair with numerous penalties awarded for both teams. The last of these penalties was to be decisive and while Field celebrated widely at the end, the impartial fan in the large partisan crowd (I am sure there must have been one) must have felt sympathy for an Alton team who fought back impressively after a slow start.
The match was won and lost in the first and final 10 minutes.
Field started brightly marching the Alton scrum ominously backwards in the first few minutes. One Field back row quipped they were going to have a ‘Field day’ in the scrum and in truth, the set piece meant that Alton could not develop a platform and ultimately led to be the difference between the teams.
In loose play, it was very even throughout, and Alton’s backs and forwards aggressive tackling was positive. Apart from one Field line break early on, they coped well in midfield, but that early break was enough to create early dominance for Field. Eventually space was created out on the left and Field led 5-0 with the first try of the game.
In the first 15 minutes, with Field playing up slope, the home side were often penalised and from one of these they extended their lead. Alton needed to find a spark from somewhere.
Joe Gwyther took a quick penalty but was tackled, Field were penalised again for not retiring 10 metres and at this stage, the game seemed to pivot in the favour of the hosts. It was now the turn of Field to persistently infringe and they looked a little rattled – at one stage being marched back a further 10 metres after some comments to the official. Cameron Hamer scored a penalty after a high tackle penalty and another for offside. 8-6
Even when Field had a chance to relieve the pressure, they overplayed and the Field messaging after a further penalty was to go back to basics. The team talk did not work as a few minutes later, Field were again on the wrong side of the referee and they had a player sent the bin presumably for repeated penalties.
With a few minutes to half-time, Hamer kicked another penalty to take the lead 9-8. Looking more composed now, Alton were taking the game to their visitors, Caleb Wolfreys making a couple of surging runs, George Lucas and Hamer came close, but the Alton backs never really were able to create a clear opening. Field 14-man stubborn defence was now looking for the half time break, but not before Hamer slotted a further penalty to increase Alton’s lead. 12-8 at half time.
Ben Burridge came on at half time and instantly made an impact at the first line out and his return to the side is a welcome addition. Ollie Burden kicked magnificently to force Field back into their 22 but nothing came from the pressure. Field thought they had scored but the ball was held up over the line, and even though Gwyther’s drop out was charged down, Field knocked on. However, every scrum was a chance for Field to regain the ball, eventually Field chose an attempt at goal after a few penalties to narrow the score to just a single point.
Gwyther’s high kick off coupled with a great chase from Karter Whittock caused panic in the Field defence, Lucas did well to somehow grab the ball off the back of the resulting scrum, but there was no solid platform for the half backs as all passes were made under significant pressure. Field kept being penalised in the loose, and Hamer kicked another penalty magnificently from out wide. 15-11. The high kicks from Gwyther backed up with some aggressive tackling from the whole team, notably Ed Simmons, meant Alton maintained the territory advantage and after a high tackle on Tom Smethurst, Hamer duly kicked his 6th penalty of the game. His was an outstanding kicking display and now with less than 10 minutes to go for Alton to secure the win..
Field chose to kick to the corner after an offside Alton penalty, and the rolling maul from the lineout proved to be an unstoppable force that created the chance for Field to tie the scores, but the subsequent try was not converted and Alton still retained their narrow lead with 5 minutes remaining.
All pressure was now on Alton, but they largely managed this well in loose play with the next attacking wave halted as Ed Thomas gathered and called the mark. Penalty after penalty now, the pressure was beginning to mount. Finally, the referee lost his patience, Wolfreys was sinbinned for collapsing a maul, Field’s forwards were now sensing the win, and they took the lead with 3 minutes remaining.
Alton’s spirit never died. They marched back into the Field ‘red-zone’ and had a penalty in front of the posts. Gwyther looked like he was about to kick to the corner, but it would have been a risky decision with only 14 players, and Smethurst wisely chose to have Hamer kick his final penalty of the afternoon. 21-21 and if the referee had blown his final whistle at this point, then many would have agreed that this was a deserved outcome.
The Field kick off was secured by Smethurst in mid-air and he was surrounded by players from both sides as he collapsed to the floor. The shrill whistle from the referee seemed to echo around Anstey and to the dismay of Smethurst and the Alton team, he was adjudged to have held on in the tackle.
Field could have tried the line out and a final rolling maul from the resulting penalty, but their fly half confidently stood up and kicked the points with the final play of the game to the delight of those who had travelled from Penn’s Place.
Petersfield remain unbeaten and Alton at least had the consolation of a losing bonus point, but they fought valiantly, and it could have been so much better.