Three goals in a ten minute spell either side of half time saw Alton through to the next round of the FA Cup and a home tie with Ryman League side Merstham, with what was eventually a convincing victory over their Sussex League opponents.

The visitors, managed by former Hayling United boss Mark Poulton and led on the field by the vastly experienced Steve Leigh, started much the brighter before Alton made their way into the game with Ben White firstly too high and then only narrowly wide with a shot on the turn. The visitors possession football was not backed by any real threat on goal and it was the home side who opened the scoring after sixteen minutes, Ian Humble arriving unnoticed at the near post to turn a Curtis Hunter corner past goakeeper Harrop. Chichester responded with Horstead shooting wide and home keeper Craig Atkinson had to leave his line quickly to block Archer after the full back fastened on to a superb Leigh through ball. On a first class playing surface both sides pushed forward at every opportunity and the home side were fortunate when Way and Horstead split the defence open only for the latter to slide the ball past both keeper and post. Steve Brown was too high with a header from a Mark Vockins cross before Carl Saunders saw a shot blocked after a poor Harrop clearance, and after Chichester had rather wasted a free kick on the edge of the “D” Alton claimed a second goal deep into first half stoppage time. Richard McCann and Tommy Walsh made ground down the left and the latter’s low cross was swept home by Tommy Brown.

With Leigh not re-appearing after the break following a first half knock, Alton pushed forward immediately and after Vockins had created a chance for Saunders – the effort just wide – White outpaced the visiting defence in pursuit of a through ball and deftly lobbed the advancing keeper. Not content with a three goal lead the home side added a fourth two minutes later when White, hardly the tallest player in the box, rose totally unchallenged to head a long Vockins throw high into the roof of the net. Chichester then added their two remaining substitutes to the fray and did get the ball into the net only for the effort to be adjudged offside. The visitors, the industrious Way apart, had seemingly accepted their lot by now and only two fine saves by Harrop from Saunders stopped the home side increasing their tally and it was something of a surprise when Chichester reduced the deficit inside the last ten minutes. Way sent Horstead away on the left and the striker turned inside to beat Atkinson at the near post. The home keeper then made the save of the game to deny substitute Burney before Alton moved forward again with Steve Brown’s header from another Vockins cross rebounding too safety off the cross bar. This was too be the last real threat on goal at either end and the final whistle blew just before the rain, that had been threatening all afternoon, took over from the sunshine and a happy Alton side headed for the cover of the dressing rooms.

Report by John Gorman