Alton produced a superb performance to earn an excellent 3-0 win at home to Knaphill in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

Goals from Adam Poynter, Aley McAllister and Scott Sanderson fired the Brewers to a deserved three points in front of a crowd of 235 at Anstey Park Enclosure.

The hosts were quick out of the traps and took the lead in the first minute when Owen Tanner’s excellent cutback from the right picked out Poynter, who produced a composed finish back across goal into the bottom right-hand corner.

The Brewers continued to press and nearly doubled their advantage on 15 minutes when McAllister swept his close-range finish just over the bar.

McAllister tried his luck again a minute later with a fizzing 25-yard shot which went just wide of the left-hand post.

The second goal duly arrived in the 17th minute when Poynter clipped a nice ball to McAllister, who took a touch before sweeping his left-foot finish past Knappers keeper Sam Gray and into the bottom right-hand corner.

The Knappers looked to find a way back into the game and Sekou Toure’s dangerous ball in from the right was well cleared by Alton defender George Bennett.

Knaphill’s Kingsley Anokye then delivered a dangerous ball in from the right which picked out Ross Murdoch, whose effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Alton nearly scored their third of the afternoon in the 34th minute when Matt Benham’s 25-yard right-foot shot was parried out by Gray to Poynter, but Poynter’s first-time finish from a tight angle hit the side netting.

The visitors nearly pulled a goal back just before half-time when a corner eventually fell to Anokye, but his close-range effort was superbly saved by Brewers keeper Adam Melville.

The Brewers started the second half brightly and almost went 3-0 up in the 48th minute when Poynter cut in from the left and fired a left-foot shot just wide of the far right-hand post.

The hosts went close again two minutes later when McAllister’s close-range effort was well saved by Gray.

Knaphill created their first chance of the second half on 57 minutes when Murdoch’s header went wide of the left-hand post.

The Knappers went close again in the 70th minute when Jack Carrod was through one-on-one with Melville, but the Brewers keeper made an excellent fingertip save.

The loose ball fell to Murdoch, but his effort from a tight angle hit the side netting.

Alton were soon back on the front foot and Liam Marshall’s excellent long ball found Sanderson, who fired his right-foot shot just wide of the near post.

The third goal duly arrived a minute later. Right-back Jamie Phillips went on an excellent driving run down the right-hand side before chopping inside and cutting the ball back to Sanderson, who produced a composed right-foot finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

The Brewers then nearly scored their fourth of the afternoon in the 82nd minute when Poynter’s excellent ball in from the left picked out Sanderson, and Sanderson’s right-foot shot across goal went just wide of the far left-hand post.

Alton went close again on 88 minutes when a quick break ended with Poynter slipping a nice pass to Evan Anderson, and Anderson’s right-foot shot was well parried behind by Gray at his near post.

The home side comfortably saw out the last few minutes to run out worthy winners and pick up a welcome three points.

Next up for Alton is a trip to Chipstead in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday, February 8 (3pm kick-off).