Alton Town 1, Westbury United 2

ALTON bowed out of the FA Vase to a stoppage time goal on Saturday – and they will look back and wonder how they didn’t win.

The Brewers started brightly against their higher-ranked Western League Premier Division opponents and had chances, although not clear cut, to open the scoring.

An early free kick for Alton led to a Scott Sanderson shot being blocked and home goalkeeper Justin Courtnage clung on to a corner at the second attempt as play went from end to end without any real threat on either goal.

Alton’s Ritchie Hunter was inches wide from distance before the visitors took the lead on 20 minutes.

A controversial free kick was awarded to Westbury when it appeared to be Hunter that was fouled, and the free kick on the left touchline midway between the halfway line and the goal line was swung into the area by Ryan Bale and Dan Kovacs’ header appeared to go through Courtnage’s hands.

Alton were then forced into an early change as Hunter had to go off after the challenge for the free kick.

When play continued, George Bowerman crossed but Jack Fowler headed wide, while Westbury thought they should have had a penalty when Courtnage sent an opponent flying without making any contact with the ball, but the referee allowed play to continue.

Alton were repeatedly swinging crosses into the Westbury area with no end result, but their chances looked to have greatly improved on the half-hour mark when Kovacs went from hero to villain with a challenge on Jamie Phillips that was both dangerous and late and he accepted his red card without any argument.

The Brewers should have had a penalty of their own soon after when Phillips appeared to be upended in the Westbury area, but again the referee waved the protests away.

The visitors from Wiltshire then sent a free kick in to the defensive wall before Alton finished the half the stronger but without finding an equaliser.

Liam Knight and Sanderson both had shots saved before the latter also had a shot cleared off the line, with the follow up blocked, before providing an inviting cross that Oli Graham headed over the bar in a dramatic finish to the first half.

Westbury were the quicker to make their mark after the re-start with Sam Jordan blocked in the act of shooting before they wasted a free kick 20 yards from goal, the shot clearing the bar by a big margin.

Alton were still enjoying a larger share of the possession without really creating any clearcut chances as Westbury were prepared to soak up the pressure and try to hit the Brewers on the break.

But the equaliser did finally come as Phillips and Bowerman combined, and when Bowerman laid the ball off in to the path of Fowler his left-foot shot saw the ball sail high into the net from some 25 yards.

Alton then looked to go on and win the game as Phillips found Bowerman unmarked in the area, but the striker’s shot was too high.

The visitors’ defence was beginning to show occasional signs of panic and in quick succession Fowler was just wide and Jack Bicknell had a shot well saved and saw a header shave the outside of the post.

Brewers substitute Henry Fox then headed over before Westbury got the winner.

With time fast running out, and with most of the Alton defence in the wrong half of the field, Courtnage saved his side at the expense of a corner. The kick was only partially cleared and substitute Joe Fitzpatrick’s shot from the edge of the area found the corner of the net to break Alton’s hearts.

Overall, Alton had enough possession to win the game but lacked quality finishing in the area.

The Brewers return to Wessex League Division One action on Saturday with a visit from second-placed Bemerton Heath Harlequins at The Enclosure.

Alton Town: Courtnage, Phillips, M Graham, Hunter, Gill, Moore, Fowler, Knight, O Graham, Bowerman, Sanderson. Subs: Fox, Bicknell, Evans.