Alton scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 at Eversley & California in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

A 95th-minute goal from new signing Sam Holubec, firing home from a corner, snatched a draw for the Brewers.

Alton welcomed back Ed Dryden and Zac Nash and gave a debut to Reece Mather in central midfield but on a heavy pitch struggled to impose their passing game.

The home side played to the conditions, not attempting any football in their own half and using long throws up the line to gain territory.

Adapting to the conditions, Alton started to impose themselves as the half wore on with Nash and Jack Fowler holding the ball up well and bringing midfield runners into the game.

Shots from Nash and Hadif Darwysh were denied by home keeper Sam Sawyer and then a good move played in Nash who found Mather arriving late but once again Sawyer was equal to it.

Nash’s wickedly dipping deflected free kick was just tipped over by Sawyer. From the resulting corner Cody Howard headed narrowly wide at the back post.

Right on the stroke of half-time another deep corner was headed back across to Scott Sanderson who stuck out a foot to tap home only for Sawyer to react brilliantly again to nick it away off his toe.

Eversley took the lead on 53 minutes when Ollie Noyes hit a dipping cross-shot over Alton keeper Adam Melville into the far top corner.

Deep into added time Karol Skoczen thought he had scored for Alton when he brought the ball down, swivelled and smashed it goalwards only for Sawyer to stick out a hand and deflect it just wide.

Alton threw Melville up for the corner, which broke to the edge of the box for Holubec to gleefully drill into the far corner.

By Ian Hall