AFC Stoneham 4, Alton Town 0

freefalling Alton Town’s bid to halt their desperate slide was foiled by the weather on Tuesday night.

Beaten in their last nine games in Wessex League Division One, the Brewers were due to face rock-bottom Totton & Eling on Tuesday night but persistent heavy rain left the Millers Park ground waterlogged.

And the postponement meants Town’s hopes of erasing Saturday’s 4-0 drubbing at AFC Stoneham sank without trace.

Alton’s poor run continued on Saturday and all that’s going wrong at the moment showed as AFC Stoneham had a full compliment of substitutes while the Brewers had to name manager Mark Corbett in their starting line up. And once again Alton failed to take their chances when they came along and were hit with the sucker punch.

Alton started brightly and a move involving Matt Bunyan and Liam Knight saw Max Smith have the first shot of the game, but he could only hit it straight at the Stoneham goalkeeper.

This spurred Stoneham on and Cabellero shot high and wide when well placed before Alton threatened again as Jackson flicked on Petts’ goal kick, but a Stoneham defender got back to clear as Chandler was about to shoot.

Stoneham’s Welch then picked the ball up in his own half and drove at the Alton defence, and only a timely challenge by Ben Williams kept the score goalless.

Back came the hosts as sloppy defending gave Stoneham a free kick which Petts saved before Stoneham’s pressure finally told and they went ahead. Alton switched off from a Stoneham throw and allowed Jimenez time to turn and shoot home from the edge of the box.

With the goal, Stoneham sensed blood and pressed Alton back. Manning had a shot blocked by Adkins before Harris shot over and Cabellero shot straight at Petts.

At the other end, Alton created a fine chance as Bunyan’s ball inside the full back set Knight through on goal, but with confidence low he got caught in two minds and his shot-come-cross sailed harmlessly wide.

The second half started in the same vein as the first with Smith shooting straight at the goalkeeper, and Alton thought they had equalised as Bunyan’s header from Graham’s free kick seemed destined for the net but somehow a Stoneham full back got back to clear as Jackson was shadowing the ball over the line.

With the visitors starting to pressure the Stoneham goal they were handed a lifeline as Palmer deliberately handled a Bunyan flick and was dismissed by the referee.

Against ten men, Alton started to take control but shot themselves in the foot as they allowed a forward to beat two players on the byline and with Alton claiming the ball had gone out Black was the wrong side of his man and conceded a penalty. Cabellero gave Petts no chance from 12 yards and with it probably went Alton’s chance of getting back into the game.

Steve Black tried to make amends but shot over before Stoneham scored again as they allowed Wright to run at the heart of the defence, exchange passes, and score past Petts in the Alton goal.

Jack Chandler then had a free kick easily saved before Stoneham completed the scoring in a move that just about sums up Alton’s luck at the moment. Bunyan and Black combined and Black’s attempted pass bounced off Bunyan straight to Wright whose first-time ball found Welch, who outsprinted the Alton back line to give Petts no chance.

On Saturday, Alton host fifth-placed US Portsmouth at The Enclosure in Wessex Division One (kick-off 3pm).

Alton Town: Petts, Graham, Adkins, Williams, North, Smith, Black, Knight, Corbett, Jackson, Bunyan.

* Southampton Senior Cup finalists Alresford Town were beaten 2-0 at home by Portland United last Saturday in the Wessex League Premier Division, after goals from Jamie Symes and Darren Watts.

And the Magpies had no chance to get straight back to winning ways when their scheduled league clash against Hamble Club at Arlebury Park fell victim to the wet weather on Tuesday night.