With regular players missing, captain Alex Love worked his magic reshuffling his squad like a spinball whizzer, and despite a couple of out of position players, Portsmouth were confident as the game started.

The confidence proved well placed in the first half, with the visitor threats quashed by the Portsmouth midfield forcing Alton into making mistakes, and the defence comfortably tidying up any attacks that did make it through.

Chris Stone was playing like a man possessed, and was the first name on the score sheet as he calmy slotted the ball with his blade into the hosts goal.

The Portsmouth attacks didn't stop, and with the pace of a runaway mine train Lucas Carkeek-Blakeley was burning the Alton players like a wicker man, helping the visitors to create a whole host of chances.

As the half progressed, we found out just who had possessed Stone. The cause of the hex was clear as he not only threw an aerial to launch an attack, but followed that up with an Alex Williams style drag flick at a short corner to double the lead.

At half time Portsmouth were encouraged to continue their attacking enterprise from their smiler of a captain, but Alton came out like a nemesis reborn.

With their sloppy mistakes reduced, the hosts threats increased the pressure on the Portsmouth defence in the second half. It wasn't all one way traffic though as Portsmouth posed threats of their own, Alberto Browning-Sanchez had another excellent game terrorising the opposition, and despite the ball bouncing around the Alton D like a congo river rapid multiple times, Portsmouth were unable to extend their lead.

Alton reduced the deficit with a well worked short corner routine passing the ball into the goal. With time running out, Portsmouth defended an Alton short corner well, drawing a foul and leaving them with a free hit out, and about Thirteen seconds left.

What followed could only be described as a spectacularly failed attempt of an aerial from David Johns when a simple fast pass would have surely sufficed. This was picked by the on-rushing Alton forward, who had no issue setting up his teammate to convert as the final whistle blew plunging Portsmouth hearts into oblivion.

In this context, 2-2 was a tough result after a real battling effort, and some great performances all over the pitch.

Goals: Stone (2)
Man of the Match: Stone