Alton 1 - 0 Amesbury Town

Alton entertained table topping Amesbury Town on Saturday and not only ended with the first win of 2019, but inflicted Amesbury's first defeat since mid January.

In doing so they put the cat among the pigeons in the promotion race as this now opens the door for AFC Stoneham with games in hand to pip Amesbury to the title.

It was also Alton's first clean sheet for twenty games going back to mid November. The game as a whole was fairly even but it was, Charlie Osbornes first half goal and Amesbury's indiscipline that cost them anything from the game.

Amesbury should have taken an early lead but Matthews shot wide after being put through and only having Matt Petts to beat. Scott Sanderson had a chance for Alton but took too long and the chance was gone. Amesbury's Vallis got a header to a free kick but Petts collected untroubled.

The game was moving from end to end Osborne and Lenachan had chances for Alton before the all important goal came, good work in the midfield by Max Smith and his ball found Charlie Osborne in the box who turned and poked the ball past McHardy in the Amesbury goal.

Alton in front for the first time in ages had their tails up and took the game to Amesbury, who became more flustered and in disciplined, getting on at the officials for anything they thought hadn't gone their way. Steve Black got forward and lobbed the keeper, but also the bar as Alton pressed for a second. Max Smith had a shot saved before Petts was again in action saving from a Vallis header, Lenachan shot over before Sanderson headed Jackson's cross wide.

Liam Knight and Gavin Muir combined to send Lenachan away but he was ruled offside. Amesbury forced another free kick with this time Vallis heading wide, Matthews shot over after good work by Plant.

As the half ended Plant forced Petts to save at his near post and Alton managed to scramble the ball away from the resulting corner.

Alton came out for the second half sensing a second goal would kill the game off, from another Jackson cross, Sanderson's attempt went agonisingly wide, Jackson put Lenachan through and a defender got back to make a last ditch saving tackle.

It wasn't all one way and after George Spiers had headed clear for an Amesbury throw, Liam Knight had to be alert to head off the line with Petts for once beaten.

The game changed on sixty minutes when there looked to be a foul on Amesbury's Plant in the penalty area, but the referee waved play on and such was the ferocity of Matthews remonstrations with the linesman that the referee had no choice but to send him off.

This allowed Alton a bit more freedom Sanderson's header forced McHardy to parry and Jackson somehow blazed the rebound over the bar. Jackson forced the keeper to save, before he shot into the side netting.

Greenway headed wide for Amesbury before Knight shot wide for Alton, Muir got away from his marker but a covering defender got back to concede a corner, with time running out Alton decided to keep the ball in the corner area and Lenachan and Muir did just that, until Amesbury's Connor Palmer decided that Lenachan should do it sitting down, and having already been cautioned gave the referee no option and joined his mate having an early shower.

And so Alton held on for an unlikely victory, bearing in mind the run they had been on.

They can now look forward to welcoming Verwood Town to The Enclosure next weekend for their last home game of the season.