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Alton 3 - 1 Tadley Calleva

06 Aug 2026

Match report by Ian Hall

An Ed Dryden brace and Zack Nash’s composed finish completed a fine come-back for Alton, who had gone behind in the 2nd minute at home to Tadley on Tuesday night.

A good point away at Redhill in the opening game will have put Alton in good spirits for the first fixture at the Exclusive Networks Stadium for new manager Luke Turkington but the start could hardly have been worse. Attacking the playground end, Tadley’s first move resulted in a corner from which Jack French was allowed a free run to head home, unchallenged, from six yards out. With their tails up Tadley bossed the opening 15 minutes with Alton largely chasing shadows. Two or three passing moves around the Alton box looked threatening and every time Alton got the ball they were immediately harried into errors.

Another Tadley corner could easily have gone the way of the first but was headed wide and Alton rode their luck in that spell but once they managed to keep some possession, they grew into the game and looked the better side as the half wore on. Matt Benham and Jamal Branker had efforts from range and although not carving out many chances, neat passing play forced Tadley back and the away side increasingly struggled to retain the ball themselves. Alton deservedly got an equaliser just before half time when Branker’s back post corner was headed home by Ed Dryden.

Alton were the better side in the second period, on the front foot, playing all the football and trying to keep the tempo high. They weren’t helped in this regard by the ref who stopped the game for several prolonged periods which threatened to break up any momentum and gave Tadley some respite. Alton had a glorious move when Hadif Darwysh dummied, spun and roasted his defender, racing to the edge of the box from halfway. His pass in for Zac Nash was just a fraction behind the striker and Tadley scrambled it clear but Alton took the lead from the resulting throw in.

Darwysh dummied to leave the ball to Phillips to take a long one but as the nearest defenders turned away, took a quick one to the on-coming veteran. Phillip’s driven out, in swerving cross to the penalty spot area completely deceived everyone and was allowed to bounce through to the back post where Dryden nodded home his 2nd from close range.

Though Tadley then reverted to playing some football Alton were by now more than a match with new signing from Tadley, Argjend Ahmetaj initially alongside David Garlinge and then Reece Mather, busy and effective in breaking up play and Alton scored a wonderful third on the counter-attack in stoppage time. A Tadley player ran into two defenders on the edge of Alton’s box and having stripped the ball, it was swiftly played forward to Zack Nash, goal side on halfway. He comfortably held off the retreating defender and slipped the ball past the on-rushing keeper for a 3 1 score that was thoroughly merited.

Kerrison, Wotton (Phillips 81), McLean, Garlinge (Mather 81), Dryden, Hill, Ahmetaj, Benham (c), Branker (Ndoj), Nash, Darwysh (Patterson 90+4)

Next up for Alton is a trip to Yateley United this Saturday 8th August in the FA Cup.