Alresford Town 3 Folland Sports 0: GRITTY, determined and necessary; Alresford’s first league win since September was all of those.

As a result, the Magpies are off the bottom of the Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division for the first time in a while, at the expense of their opponents.

The key to the win was a positive start. The home side had the ball in the net after just two minutes from a set play, and though that effort was disallowed, it showed the visitors’ uncertainty at the back.

With nine minutes gone, that uncertainty, which has been a hallmark of Alresford’s own play this season, helped them take the lead. A typically accurate free kick from Sammy Carter was met with a firm, unchallenged header by Ben Stanbrook.

As well as the lead, the Magpies also had the luck. Shortly before they fell behind, Cain Prentice had squandered Follands’ best chance by firing over.

The all-important second goal came on 32 minutes. Tom Donaldson, in an unaccustomed right-wing role, showed the advantages of having a left footer on the right by cutting in and firing in a curling shot which whizzed past the keeper.

Goal three should have followed before the break, but somehow it didn’t. Ben Dexter had the ball hacked off the line, and Craig Bryant headed just wide as Alresford continued to dominate at set pieces.

That all made for an anxious second half as Follands pressed hard to get back into this vital game. Donaldson was replaced at the break by Rian Jima-Otero, as the home side shuffled their attacking options, although Alresford had Mike Weatherall to thank for two timely saves to keep the visitors at bay. At the other end, Follands skipper Ross Casey saved a Simon Everett shot at full stretch.

Relief finally came deep in injury time when John Mulhern raced through several half-hearted challenges to score Alresford’s third.

With two more must-win home games looming in the next few days, two more performances and results of this nature are needed if Alresford are to maintain the start they have made in pulling away from the bottom.