News

Eversley & California 1 - 1 Alton

22 Feb 2026

Match report by Ian Hall

A 95th minute goal from new signing Sam Holubec, firing home from a corner, snatched a draw for Alton away at Eversley and California.

In match which neither side could afford to lose, Alton will be the happier side with a point that leaves them 9 clear of Eversley, who remain in the last relegation spot.

Alton welcomed back Ed Dryden and Zac Nash and gave a debut to Reece Mather in central midfield but on a heavy pitch struggled to impose their passing game when every second pass bobbled. The home side played to the conditions, not attempting any football in their own half and using long throws up the line to gain territory. Their direct style created the first couple of chances around the 20 minute mark – a cross slung in from near halfway was met completely unmarked but the header was skied. Then from a long throw Eversley’s centre forward forced Adam Melville into a smart save down at the post.

Adapting to the conditions, Alton started to impose themselves as the half wore on with both Zac Nash and Jack Fowler holding the ball up well and bringing midfield runners into the game. Shots from Nash and Darwysh were denied by the home keeper and then a good move played in Nash who found Mather arriving late but once again the stopper was equal to it.

With the home side under pressure, Joe Wotton was caught with an uncontrolled challenge which could have been a red. Minutes later he was caught again on the edge of the box and Nash’s wickedly dipping deflected free kick was just tipped over. From the resulting corner Cody Howard headed narrowly wide at the back post.

Right on the stroke of half time another deep corner was headed back across to Scott Sanderson who stuck out a foot to tap home only for the keeper to react brilliantly again to nick it away off his toe.

The second half started much the same with Alton looking the more threatening. Nash got in 6 yards out from great spinning turn and nutmeg but a defender blocked his point-blank shot. Eversley continued to play it long until out of nowhere, on 53 minutes, they broke with a super flowing counter, interchanging passes down their left and slipping Ollie Noyes into the channel. From the angle of the box, he hit a dipping cross shot over Melville into the far top corner.

With their backs to the wall Alton plugged away but struggled to impose with Eversley much brighter after their goal and looking real threat on the counter. With around 25 minutes left Alton brought on Reece Beattie from the U18s and his hard and direct running nearly paid off immediately, roasting the full back and squaring to Nash who somehow hit the bar from 5 yards. This prompted a closing spell when both sides could have scored. Eversley breaks were denied by a Cody Howard block and a one-on-one Melville save while in between Alton had one cleared off the line.

Deep into added time Karol Skoczen thought he had scored for Alton when he brought the ball down, swivelled and smashed it goalwards only for the keeper to stick out a despairing hand and deflect it just wide. Alton threw Melville up for the corner and he was one of several players contesting a hail mary, which broke to the edge of the box for Holubec to gleefully drill into the far corner.

In the aftermath Eversley were reduced to ten following a 2nd yellow. Though they piled forward in search of a winner, twice Melville snuffed out the danger as Alton salvaged what could turn out to be a good result in the run in.

Melville, Garlinge, Wotton, Mather, Sanderson, Howard, Fowler, Dryden, Nash, Hill, Darwysh subs Holubec, Llewellyn, Brown, Beattie, Skoczen.

Alton travel to Abbey Rangers this Tuesday evening, 24th Feb. Kick off 7.45pm.