Knaphill drew 1-1 against Alton in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday.

Despite taking an early lead through a well-taken free kick by top scorer Matt Copland, Knaphill struggled throughout the game and were ultimately lucky to come away with a point against a dominant Alton side.

Alton started the game with intent, putting Knaphill under immediate pressure. In the first minute, Adam Poynter unleashed a powerful shot from the left-hand side, forcing Knaphill goalkeeper Sam Gray to tip the ball over the bar. Alton maintained their aggressive approach, dominating possession and forcing Knaphill onto the back foot.

Knaphill managed to break the deadlock somewhat against the run of play. A through ball led to a handball by an Alton defender right on the edge of the area. From the resulting free kick in the eighth minute, Copland stepped up and expertly guided the ball into the top left-hand corner past Alton goalkeeper Stephen Douglas.

Despite the early goal, Alton dominated the rest of the first half. The visitors pressed forward relentlessly, and Knaphill struggled to string passes together or win second balls. Dale Burnham was a standout performer in defence for Knaphill, consistently heading away crosses and blocking shots. His efforts were crucial in keeping Alton at bay, and without his defensive heroics, Knaphill could have easily found themselves trailing by multiple goals heading into the break. Instead, they clung to their narrow 1-0 lead as the half-time whistle blew.

In the second half, Alton continued to press for an equaliser. Knaphill made a change in the 59th minute, bringing on Rahman Ajibola for Jordan Ellis, but Alton's persistence paid off in the 66th minute. A long ball down the left flank found Poynter in a one-on-one situation with David Orisatoki. The Knaphill defender was beaten and fouled Poynter inside the box, resulting in a penalty for Alton. However, Perry Coles missed the golden opportunity to equalise, blasting the resulting penalty over the bar.

Despite this let off, Alton continued to press and finally found the breakthrough in the 68th minute. From a corner, Tolu Ajayi-Obe rose unmarked in the centre of the area and connected with a powerful downward header, which bounced up into the top right-hand corner of the net to make it 1-1 and leaving Knaphill clinging on for a point.

Knaphill's struggles continued as they failed to string passes together or challenge Alton’s dominance. Ben Mitchell was cautioned in the 71st minute, reflecting Knaphill’s ongoing difficulties in containing Alton’s attacks.

Despite making further changes, including the introduction of Kaliam Safou-Mbouma in the 72nd minute and James Glover in the 79th minute, Knaphill could not find any rhythm or regain control of the match. Alton, buoyed by their equaliser, made two substitutions in the 80th minute, bringing on Liam Marshall and Ollie Kavanagh.

Knaphill’s Kwadwo Frempong-Manso was cautioned in the 88th minute, and the hosts were fortunate to escape with a draw. It could have been much worse for Knaphill if Alton had been more clinical.

By James Carpenter