News

Chipstead 0 - 1 Alton

24 Aug 2026

Match report by Dave Hawtin

To appreciate how good a win this was you probably would have needed to be in attendance.

Current playing conditions on most grass pitches remain a huge challenge for both sides.

Creating good chances on goal were at a real premium and it has to be said that over the duration of the game Alton definitely had the better of that metric . 5 minutes in and a super cross from deep on the left by Darwysh just eluded two visiting attackers who just needed a touch on the ball as it flashed across the six yard box.

While the visitors were having the better of the territory battle the home side were always going to be a threat as they like Alton had real pace down both flanks.

The only goal of the game came on 23 minutes , from a deep corner the ball was headed back into the danger area and Joe Wotton reacted quickest to a force the ball in at the back post.

After the interval it was probably inevitable that the visitors would have to dig in and soak up some pressure for a while and that is exactly what happened as Chipstead sought an equaliser . As a group they kept a good shape and defended resolutely and restricted the home side to just one real chance in that period, Tom Kelly in the Alton goal did well to divert a rasping drive for a corner.

As the game slowed down in the later stages Alton were twice denied a second goal from the same incident . David Garlinge would have thought his volley from 10 yards was destined for the back of the net only for the keeper to produce a stunning save diving to his left . From the resulting corner Ed Dryden’s header hit the inside of the far post and bounced frustratingly back into the grateful goal keepers arms.

That was the last of the real threat on goal and the visitors took the win much to the appreciation of the supporters who had travelled.

This was never going to be pretty and the effort and application of both sides should be commended.

Next up in the Combined Counties league for Alton is a trip to Yateley on Saturday 29th August, 3PM kick off, before returning home to The Exclusive Networks Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday for a tie with locals Badshot Lea and an early 11:30am KO.