Andover Town 2, Alton Town 4

ALTON started like a house on fire on Saturday at Andover to make it seven wins on the bounce and eight games unbeaten.

The Brewers roared into an astonishing four-goal lead after just 11 minutes to kill the game as a contest.

Andover dragged themselves back into the game in the second half to add some repsectability to the scoreline, but the damage had been done.

Brewers boss Kevin Adair was forced to shuffle his deck, with three of the normal back four missing. Richie Hunter and Jack Bicknell came in at full back and the effervescent Scott Sanderson dropped back to partner Sean Evans in the centre of the defence.

And it was Sanderson who created the first goal as his clearance found George Bowerman, who controlled the ball and fired passed Dave Tasker to give Alton a second-minute lead.

It didn’t take Alton long to double their lead, just three minutes, when visiting goalkeeper Justin Courtnage’s long clearance found Jack Fowler, who had got behind the Andover defence and fired home to give Tasker no chance.

Courtnage then had to be alert at the other end as he raced out of his area to clear as Andover threatened before Alton stunned their hosts by making it 3-0 after just nine minutes as Sanderson and Bowerman combined to set Liam Knight away. He was fouled by Pattison and from Matt Benham’s free kick it was Knight himself who headed home Alton’s third.

And Alton were in dreamland just two minutes later as Steve Black fired home the fourth from the edge of the box after Knight’s cross was headed into his path by a defender.

With the game effectively over, Alton took their foot off the gas and allowed Andover back into the match.

Benham headed a free kick away and Bowerman was fouled as he looked to break away, while Sanderson was then penalised for a foul. The Alton defence cleared the set piece but only as far as Owen Trapnell whose shot from distance flew wide.

Sanderson then had to be alert as Courtnage and Richie Hunter got caught in two minds, but he got behind them to clear the danger.

It wasn’t all one way traffic, though, and another Benham free kick was caught by Tasker.

Back came Andover as Oli Graham blocked a cross before Courtnage was forced to tip the ball over the crossbar as a cross was met perfectly by Josh Bertie. Graham headed the corner clear and again Trapnell put his shot wide.

Alton then had a great chance to score again at the end of the half. Knight got in behind his defender and as the goalkeeper came out he squared the ball to Black, but the ball bobbled and he shot wide of an open goal.

With their manager’s words ringing in their ears Andover came out with more purpose in the second half.

Alton conceded a free kick wide on the left and were guilty of switching off as Andover took it quickly and Bertie’s cross flew over Courtnage’s head and in at the far post to make it 4-1.

Courtnage then had to collect two crosses before Alton started to claw their way back into the game.

After Bowerman saw a cross float too close to the goalkeeper, Bertie had three chances in quick succession to get Andover back in the game. Courtnage saved the first, the second cannoned back off the bar, and then when he got in behind the Alton defence Courtnage got down quickly at his feet and turned his goal-bound shot round the post for a corner.

The game was being played mainly in the Alton half, but the Alton defence was standing firm.

But Andover got their second as an Alton attack broke down and the ball was played over the defence and Bertie this time gave Courtnage no chance to reduce the deficit to two goals at 4-2.

Alton attacked spasmodically with Knight being the main outlet, and once again he was fouled but the free kick came to nothing.

The Brewers ran down the clock for a victory that their display in the first 11 minutes thoroughly deserved.

On Saturday, Alton welcome Whitchurch United to The Enclosure in their last home game before Christmas.

Alton Town: Courtnage, Hunter, Bicknell, Graham, Sanderson, Evans, Black, Benham, Fowler, Bowerman, Knight. Subs: Fox, Rolfe, Thorne.