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Alton 1 - 0 Camberley Town

14 Aug 2024

Match report by Ryan Mc Media

Owen Tanner’s close-range effort edged Alton past Camberley, just about deservedly, in a game devoid of quality.

Although both sides did plenty of defending on the precipice of the last third, the two respective towering centre-back partnerships were often too much for either front man.

Camberley understandably made use of Tom Wensley’s viciously arrowing long throws, although not nearly as much as one might expect, the first one early on landing safely in Stephen Douglas’ hands after skimming off two heads.

Alton skipper George Bennett would often be found looking for a diagonal ball out to either of his wingers, but he had the home side’s first opportunity when he could only manage to flick Jamie Hoppitt’s cross over after he’d received a short corner.

The best move of the half came down Alton’s right as Hoppitt, Tanner and Perry Coles combined, Coles eventually skewing wide from the edge of the box while off balance. Coles and Hoppitt then failed to capitalise on a Camberley mix up, as the former’s pass to the latter in acres of room on the right was too far in front of him, before Hoppitt did nothing with the delivery.

Camberley’s best chance of the half was created when Macca Martin robbed left-back Joe Goddard and the ball ricocheted into the right channel, but Luis Hamblin opted to try and lob Douglas from distance rather than bear down on goal, his shot barely reaching the keeper.

One Camberley man who didn’t deserve to be on the losing side was Josh Ewing, the standout player especially in the second half. Just before the break he managed to make something of a poor clearance by teammate Alex Jackson and surge down the left, eventually returning to Jackson outside the box only to see the ball sail over.

Hoppitt had caught Wensley with a late challenge in front of the dugouts just before half-time, but the yellow card was not enough for Camberley apparently, as their initial grievance continued until after the break with Wensley being sinbinned for dissent as the players reemerged for the second half.

Alton came close with a set-piece as Coles hung one up from the byline on the left, which Tolu Ajayi-Obey helped back across goal on the volley but not quite into an area of enough danger, and Tanner was foiled at the back post as the ball was blocked into the side-netting.

He wouldn’t be denied twice, though, as Coles this time was on the corner and delivery ball towards the back was bizarrely directed towards goals by the knees of Hoppitt, but rebounded off Crawford back towards Tanner who did very well to somehow take a touch and lash high into the net.

Camberley introduced the bullish Stan Jones on the right with almost instant success, as his one-two with Hamblin released him into the penalty area, but his low delivery was poor with two men queueing up to tap in. Not much later, he would create half a yard going away from goal but couldn’t wrap his foot around it to get the shot on target.

Liam Marshall was one of Alton’s second half introductions and he also almost had a big say, first of all curling from the left and forcing Crawford into a great sprawling save, as it looked for all the world as if it had floated into the top corner. Marshall then burst down the right and saw his shot deflected and agonisingly spin away from the underlapping Oli Kavanagh, who would have had a simple nod beyond Crawford had it sat up differently.

Tanner probably should have doubled his tally in very similar circumstances to his first, Crawford flapping a corner straight to the striker, but this time he couldn’t sort his feet out. Poynter forced Crawford into work again, drifting inside from the left and seeing his shot low shot tipped round the post.

Ewing, although Camberley’s brightest spark, should have done better deep into injury time as the ball fell to him reasonably kindly twenty yards out, but he sliced a tired attempt well wide.

Alton: Douglas, Kavanagh (Sanderson), Goddard, Phillips, Ajayi-Obe, Bennett, Poynter (Ogbanufe), Hill, Coles, Tanner (Bowerman), Hoppitt (Marshall).

Camberley: Crawford, Roberts (Benton), Wensley (X.Ewing), Wheeler, Hitch, Conteh, J.Ewing, Jackson, Hamblin, Martin (Jones), Mukaro (Lindsay).

Alton visit Jersey on Saturday then return home to The Exclusive Networks Stadium on Tuesday (20th) for the Hampshire Senior Cup when Andover New Street will be the visitors. 7.45pm kick off.

Match Highlights from Academy TV