Havant 2nd XI 24pts, Alton 28pts

YET another match played in torrential rain, but Havant have an excellent all-weather pitch and floodlights, and both teams contributed to a well contested and competitive game in which the lead changed five times.

And the upshot was that in-form Alton led when it really counted to make it nine wins out of nine to stay top of the Hampshire Premier.

Havant Dolphins, the club’s second XV, opened the scoring within six minutes of the start. Alton gave away a penalty and a clever cross-kick put the winger in on the left, but the kicker was unlucky when his conversion attempt rebounded off the upright as Havant led 5-0.

The Silverbacks reacted to this setback by playing the game in the home side’s half where Havant knocked on. A clean heel saw the ball quickly moved out to Ollie Burden who snaked his way in from 35 metres out. Cameron Wicks kicked the conversion from the touchline to put Alton ahead 7-5.

Alton began to assert themselves as their confidence grew and good support saw them camped in the Dolphins 22-metre area.

The Silverbacks fluffed a couple of scoring chances by dropping the ball, but eventually, on 20 minutes, Nick Stoffel finished off a forward drive for the Silverbacks’ second try, which was converted for a 14-5 lead.

Five minutes later, Havant scored a somewhat fortunate converted try close to the posts. Although the ball appeared to have been dropped, the referee was unsighted and awarded it in good faith as the lead was reduced to just two points, 14-12.

And just before half-time the hosts added to their score when the Alton defence failed to tidy up a bouncing ball in their own in-goal area and Havant took full advantage to lead 19-14 at the break.

Havant failed to tidy up the kick-off properly at the start of the second half and conceded a penalty which was narrowly missed. But the Silverbacks’ belief in themselves was growing and they camped in the home team’s half, where they spent most of the second period.

And eight minutes in Alton put together an excellent handling move which was finished off by Alex Hankins. Wicks added the conversion as Alton regained the lead at 21-19.

But the Dolphins, on one of their rare forays into Alton territory, punished loose handling when they collected their fourth try, for a bonus point, on 51 minutes. The conversion was missed and Havant had to settle for a 24-21 lead.

Stung by this try, Alton again camped in the opposition half and eschewed the chance of points, declining at least three kickable penalties – one successful kick would have brought the scores level – in favour of ground position.

They kept up the pressure from the lineouts following the penalties, but the Dolphins’ excellent defence held firm.

But five minutes from the end Silverbacks skipper Tom Smethurst was finally able to capitalise on incessant forward pressure to score Alton’s bonus-point try, and Wicks gratefully accepted the extra two points on offer as Alton led again, 28-24.

Havant reacted positively and forced the visitors back to their own goal line, but Alton’s defence held firm until the final whistle.

With the win, Alton Silverbacks are now the only unbeaten side in the Hampshire Premiership with Petersfield having beaten Sandown & Shanklin on their own ground.

On Saturday, the Silverbacks will welcome Sandown & Shanklin to Anstey Park (kick-off 2.30pm) hoping to continue their perfect run.