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Yateley United 2 - 2 Alton

29 Aug 2026

Match report by Ian Hall

Alton remain unbeaten in the league after goals in each half from Matt Benham and Alex Lever were twice cancelled out by Nathan Connolly for Yateley United.

If a draw was about right on the day, Alton will feel frustrated to have let leads slip in two good performances away from home and having gifted too many goals to Yateley over the three matches this season.

Conditions at Sean Devereux Park were trickier than the FA Cup encounter; the lush turf now skiddy after persistent and at times heavy rain with a fair breeze from behind Alton in the first period. Alton looked to press high causing a few nervy moments whenever Yateley tried to play out. In turn Alton looked vulnerable to long balls forward and they had a let off when Tom Kelly raced way out of his area but was beaten to the ball by a Yateley forward who raced into the area but butchered the chance.

Alton’s pressing paid off in the 19th minute - Matt Benham harried a midfielder into a loose back header, nipped in between Yateley’s hesitant centre backs to pinch the loose ball, took a touch in the box and slipped it past the on-rushing Hugo Sobte. Alton then went close twice more from exactly the same spot – first Benham played in Manny Acheampong who hooked a shot off the near post and then Sav Shah slipped in Joe Wotton who’s far post shot looked destined for the net only for the stopper to pull off an improvised save with his foot.

Alton’s momentum was halted by a poor piece of officiating. When Chad Goulter was adjudged to have unfairly broken up play twice in quick succession, the ref completely missed a scything chop on Wotton from behind, long after the whistle. He consulted his linesman who reported that the Yateley player had won the ball; a questionable interpretation and academic as the direction and timing of the challenge warranted a yellow. The ref instead brandished a card to Alton’s incensed bench and Wotton was forced to spend some minutes on the touchline having received treatment.

Worse was to follow - with players from both sides hacking at the ball as it ping-ponged around the Alton box, two Yateley players converged, one went down and with both sides apparently unclear why, the ref awarded a penalty. From the spot Connolly sent Kelly the wrong way and shortly after Alton were forced into a change with Wotton unable to continue.

Alton started the 2nd half brightly and good interplay between Shah and Acheampong set up a shot that was defected wide for a corner. Shah’s wicked inswinger nearly beat Sobte at the near post but came back to the winger and he plonked the ball into the mixer where Alex Lever beat two other Alton players to nod home.

Once again Alton were unable to hang on to the lead – ten minutes after scoring, a miscued clearance fell straight to Connolly just outside the area, he jinked to the side of the two centre backs to work a bit of space, swivelled and lashed it home for his 4th in two matches against Alton.

Kelly, Phillips, McLean, Benham, Kenny, Lever (Ahmetaj), Pound (Matthews), Goulter, Shah (Darwysh), Acheampong (Mather), Wotton (Garlinge)

Alton return home to The Exclusive Networks Stadium this Bank Holiday Monday for a local tie with Badshot Lea and an early 11:30am KO.