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Alton 1 - 1 Sutton Common Rovers

04 Oct 2026

Match report by Ian Hall

A good battling display against a strong Sutton Common Rovers side saw Alton shade a draw at the Exclusives Networks after man-of-the-match David Garlinge’s early opener was quickly cancelled out by a fortunate strike from the visitors.

Both sides created plenty of chances and a point each was probably fair with Alton’s latest keeper Alex Walder making two or three good saves to deny the promotion chasing visitors. The hosts though had more of the play and a couple of really good efforts of their own and they can feel a shade unlucky to have conceded from a freak cross that arrowed unerringly into the top corner.

From the kick off Alton put together a nice move involving half the side and once again Felix Hills, Mackenzie Paterson and Hadif Darwysh linked well and played some neat stuff on the deck. Against a big, solid, side Alton really needed to compete physically though and today they did: Ben Matthews kept the two big centre backs honest and if Alton couldn’t always win the initial header, time and again Reece Mather and especially Garlinge were first to every second ball. At the back Tom Hill and Ed Dryden looked pretty solid against a couple of large forwards.

This platform allowed Alton to get in and around the opposition and after Jamie Philiips won back possession, the ball was shipped to Hills on the left who drove inside and played a cross-field ball to Ellis McLean advancing from right back. He was first to a 50 50 challenge, stepped round the sliding opponent and slipped in Darwyish who darted to the byline and pulled the ball back for Garlinge to finish well and give the hosts a lead on 15 minutes.

As you would expect from a decent side, Sutton Common came straight back and drew two saves from Walder, one of which was a stunner to get down sharply to a point-blank downward header. At the other end Darwysh had a shot flash narrowly wide after Garlinge had nicked the ball back once again, before Sutton equalised from a corner. The initial cross sailed over everyone and had to be retrieved by their no. 10 who was given too much time to spin and drill it back in from wide and the intended cross cleared the keeper by an inch and then under the bar by about the same.

Alton responded well to the set back and had the better of the rest of the half bar a short period after a convenient injury to their keeper allowed Sutton a breather and a reset. Matthews, Darwysh and Garlinge all had efforts off target but the best chance came when Hills got in behind, his shot squirmed under the keeper and rolled across the goal line, hit the post and bounced kindly for a defender to nick it away from Darwysh following up.

After the break the game was a little quieter; Walder made two early saves but thereafter the visitors flattened off and Alton had more of the play and chances. Hills brought down Ed Drydens lofted cross and laid it back for Paterson to swivel a shot away which nicked off a defender, just wide and similarly Darwysh’s goal bound stooping header was deflected away. There was a nasty moment when Walder and two forwards collided and the ball squirted towards Alton’s goal but a defender was there to hack clear and preserve a deserved point.

Walder, Phillips (C), McLean, Garlinge, Hill, Dryden, Mather, Paterson, Matthews, Hills, Darwysh
Subs, Shah, Lever, Johnson, Simpson