OVERTON won the third against fourth Hampshire Two clash thanks to a 12-0 victory against visiting Alresford.

The home side started strongly with Standoff Alex Plows distributing well and strong running from the back row of Ryan Cornell and Captain Tristian Harper and second row James Read.

Overton’s hard physical approach to the game kept Alresford on the back foot and with only 15 minutes gone Alresford were forced to make changes to the pack.

Overton took advantage of Ryan Cornell’s charging run into the oppositions 22, with Alex Plows going over under the posts benefitting from quick ball and catching the Alresford defence at sixes and sevens.

The home side scored again after a further 10 minutes with a driving maul set up from a line out in the Alresford 22, Tristian Harper marshalled well from the rear of the maul and forced his way over from 5 metres out, Alex Plows was unable to add the conversion from the touch line.

The fortunes of both sides swung backwards and forwards for the remainder of the half as Overton seemed to ease off and allow Alresford into the game.

A combination of good defence and Alresford errors coupled with Overton giving away penalty after penalty ensured that the score was not added to.

Dan Sumpter from scrum half was full of sniping runs and was making the most of the solid platform in front of him to allow Alex Plows to marshal the game well.

From the off in the second half Overton made changes which seemed to unsettle the home side who were not playing with the same amount of surging runs as they did in the first half.

Allowing Alresford more time on the ball ensured that the visitors were able to attack and spend considerable time in Overton’s half.

Good defence from the home side kept the visitors at bay, the home side were forced to make changes mid-way through the half after centre Ollie Maxwell was forced off with concussion after being knocked back in a tackle as he offloaded in a rare Overton attack.

Overton’s fortunes continued to slide as first Ryan Cornell and then James Read were yellow carded as the referee seemed to be letting the game slip and resorted to the card to re-gain control.

The home side spending seven minutes of the half with 13 players and finished the game with 14 on the park. Overton managed to save a 5 metre attacking scrum with only six in the pack to further thwart the visitor’s efforts.

Alresford continued to press to make the extra players count and it looked as though they were in after a good distribution along the line gave them an advantage out wide.

A superb try saving covering tackle from full back Toby Bunce ensured that the home side kept a clean sheet for the third game in a row.

A week on Saturday, Overton travel to Aldershot and Fleet who were on the wrong side of a 102-0 defeat to Romsey last Saturday.