7 matches scheduled over the course of the morning against some old foes as well as new! Either way it was going to be tough competition against some big clubs!! If they did not know Alton beforehand they certainly did by the close of play! The coin toss was important as games were 10 mins one way (no half time changes) as a strong breeze and low sun on your back was a significant advantage.

The Alton boys were focused right from the start and they needed to be as first up Windsor were stubborn in defense and direct in attack. Alton were accurate and merciless in rucks and mauls resulting in several turnovers. This pressure increasingly told on Windsor who conceded 2 tries in the last 2 minutes of the game, Alton won 2:0. This was the only game unfortunately where Alton had the benefit of the conditions.

This was very much theme of Alton's day. We were able to rectify losses to both Henley and Tadley earlier in the season with convincing wins 3-0 and 4-0 respectively. 3 down 4 to go. So far only Alton and London Irish were the only unbeaten teams in the competition. But before London Irish we faced Medway, an unknown for Alton. Medway were not as competitive as the earlier matches however the 6:1 scoreline flattered Alton. The boys themselves were not happy at how they played. The were of course being harsh on themselves for conceding a break away try, however they were not as team focused in attack as they could have been; all too often trying to score individual tries rather than exploit space as a team. This would be required if they were to get the better of London Irish.

What followed was a tense 10 minute battle between the Irish attack and Alton defense (into the wind). Irish showed where Alton had been lacking in the previous Medway game, using the full width of the pitch and exploiting space with speed. The Alton defense was up to this. When the inevitable turnovers occurred though Alton struggled to make ground. The match seemed to be heading to a well fought out draw before Irish managed to drive over for a last gasp try. Disappointing of course but a great game and a useful experience for the memory bank. London Irish win 1-0.

We still had 2 more big clubs to face in Bracknell and Maidenhead. It was important that Alton picked themselves up from their narrow loss to Irish. The early exchanges with Maidenhead suggested that Alton were still licking their wounds. Confidence returned and Alton bounced back with a 2-0 victory. They then carried that momentum forward for a 5-0 victory over Bracknell (with who we have had some prickly encounters in the past).

7 matches, 70 minutes, 14 players,6 wins, 1 loss, 20 Tries Scored, 2 Conceded. Alton day was defined not just by the quality of their defense but also contributions across the team. I am deliberately not naming any individuals as it is hard to determine any single contributions above the effort of the team. They worked exceptionally hard for each other and did themselves and their club proud!! Drawing compliments from referees, opposition coaches and supporters alike.

Well done team!!