Knaphill produced a solid performance to win 2-0 at Alton in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

It was not a fluent display from the Knappers, but it was an effective one as they secured victory at the Exclusive Networks Stadium.

Alton threatened inside three minutes when Joe Throp was dispossessed by Matt Benham, who drove forward and lifted his effort over the bar.

Knaphill responded with intent. A corner broke to Ross Cheek on the edge of the area, and his low volley was cleared from in front of the line.

The breakthrough followed on 14 minutes. Jack Baisden released Louis Collins down the left, the winger producing a clever flick to escape his marker before being bundled over by Scott Sanderson as he chased his own blocked cross. Despite protests from the hosts, the referee pointed immediately to the spot.

Ross Murdoch stepped up and drove his penalty firmly to Adam Melville’s left. Alton’s goalkeeper got a hand to it but could not prevent it from finding the inside of the post.

Despite taking the lead, Knaphill never established control. Alton enjoyed the greater share of possession and dictated long spells, while the visitors struggled to retain the ball. Yet when space opened up, Knaphill remained dangerous.

Murdoch could have doubled the advantage several times before the break. He raced clear onto a hooked pass from Collins but steered wide. Soon after, Baisden delivered a superb diagonal ball that Murdoch met first time on the volley, the effort crashing back off the post. From a Cheek free kick, he turned sharply and struck the outside of the upright midway up. Moments later, he saw a rebound cleared off the line by Sanderson after lifting the ball over Melville.

Alton nearly levelled before half-time. A left-footed corner from the right curled dangerously under the bar with Knappers keeper Harvey Keogh beaten, but Tom Wensley reacted superbly to head the ball up against his own crossbar before it was cleared.

At the interval, it remained 1-0.

After the break Collins lifted a ball over the top for Murdoch, who again got the better of Sanderson and struck first time on the bounce, forcing Melville into a strong save.

Alton nearly equalised when Hadif Darwysh’s first-time effort forced Keogh to produce an outstanding fingertip save at point-blank range to tip over.

Knaphill nearly sealed it with ten minutes remaining when Wensley’s long throw caused uncertainty, and Murdoch glanced a header onto the outside of the post.

In stoppage time, Knaphill were denied what they felt was a second penalty when Ben Mitchell’s ball over the top sent Murdoch clear and he went down under pressure from Sanderson, but the referee waved play on.

The decisive moment followed almost immediately. Mitchell tracked back to regain possession inside his own half, Aidan King moved it quickly to Jack Lewis, and the midfielder drove forward before releasing Charlie Robertson. Robertson’s first touch carried him beyond David Garlinge and he finished calmly across Melville into the bottom left-hand corner to mark his debut with a goal.

Olly Woolgar replaced Baisden deep into added time as Knaphill managed the closing moments, and shortly after the referee signalled full-time.

By James Carpenter