PORTSMOUTH & S 0, ALTON 6

ALTON Hockey Club men are enjoying unprecedented success across the board, with all four teams now guaranteed promotion.

The 1st XI moved one step closer to the Hampshire Division?Three title with a heavy defeat of bottom side Portsmouth & Southsea.

From the start, Alton were determined to stamp their authority on the game and it was skipper Nigel Downing who scored the early goal.

Alton pressed home their advantage and another defender doubled the lead as Jonny Dane walzed up the pitch and slid the ball home.

Portsmouth enjoyed some possession, but the Alton defence held firm and further goals from Stuart Gagen and Dan Trim saw them sitting pretty on a 4-0 lead at half-time.

The second half saw little change as Alton maintained their grip, but, to their credit, Portsmouth & Southsea put bodies on the line to keep the score down.

Despite their best efforts, P&S could not prevent Gagen adding his second goal and with the clock running down, youngster Jack Hawkes broke free from his marker and squeezed the ball home from a tight angle for Alton’s sixth and final goal.

With Poole losing to Aldershot & Farnham, Alton need three points from their remaining three games to secure the title. They hope to get the job done this week when they host Trojans III at Amery Hill.

Alton II, who beat Fleet & Ewshot III 1-0 on Saturday, are already the Hampshire 7 champions. Alton III clinched the Hampshire 9 championship by winning 3-1 away to Haslemere V. Alton’s goals were shared between the Wilson brothers.

Alton IV continued their long unbeaten run and secured promotion with a 5-1 home victory over City of Portsmouth IV. Joe Yeadon converted a short corner to give Alton the lead and Harrison Curtis doubled the advantage before half-time.

From the start of the second half, Elliott Milner, Theo Bentley and Richard Housley controlled the midfield and after a period of constant pressure, Jamie Vincent tapped in a cross from Sam Juncker.

Portsmouth pulled one back, but Vincent swept home his second goal and man-of-the-match Sam Juncker converted a late short corner for Alton’s fifth.