Saints v Alton

Saints took to the field with the wise words of Guru Harris ringing in their ears.... "I overheard some of their teamtalk and they reckon we'll shove it up our jumpers and bosh it at them. But we won't- we're playing fast, open rugby. They won't know what's hit them!"

So from the first whistle the Saints pack bosshed a barrage of big hits with the ball safely up their jumpers. Marcus looked like he might score but was held up short, before Mark Mauger picked up and powered over from one yard; fulfilling all of Alton's pre-match expectations. Dave Griff put the conversion over for an early 7-0 lead.

Saints used the wind and kept the visitors penned in their own half, and when a bad Alton clearance was picked up by outside-centre Ward, he drew his man and popped inside to Darryl Bray. Some neat interpassing down the left wing stretched the Alton defence before the ball was whipped back infield... Ginger and Bean are claiming involvement here... then out through pretty much every set of hands*, until James Parks beat his man to finish a fantastic team effort in the corner. A Babarians-esque effort that showed attacking running lines, constant support and off-loading out of the tackle. The conversion didn't go over, but 12-0 Saints. A penalty from Griff took the score to 15-0 at half time.

The second half started with Saints under considerable pressure on their line, but every attack was blocked through a combination of brilliant and last-ditch defending.

The decisive try came when Daryl Bray certainly did not drop the ball and instead tried a cheeky grubber kick. Can I really call it a grubber? The ref did... A grubber so unfeasible, even the Saints players had stopped running expecting it to be an Alton scrum... but not Jules, who picked up, bungled it down and chuckled all the way back to his own 22.

While he was doing that Dave Griff slotted over what might have been his 999,999th conversion for Saints. Surely one more and a jug, Griff?

Both sides were reduced to 14 men for the last ten minutes when Dave Griff and an Alton player were sin-binned for cuddling, but utility back Ward moved in from right wing to cover fly half. Just full-back needed now for the complete set in three weeks.

Great result for Saints, who not only achieved a league double against the boys from Alton, but were rewarded with a well-deserved clean sheet.

Meanwhile Southampton 2s faced Ventnor and somehow managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory. As the game came towards the end, Saints created a five-man overlap, but somehow the killer pass picked out the one Ventnor defender. He sprinted home for an interception try, making tying the scores at 17-17.

*[Ian Budd has acknowledged he did not touch the ball during Try of the Season.]