Alton went close to pulling off a shock result against high-riding Jersey Bulls in midweek – and manager Kevin Adair admitted: I wish we could start games like we finish them.

The Brewers trailed 2-0 at the interval in Tuesday’s Combined Counties Premier South clash at Anstey Park – although they were unlucky to concede a soft penalty just before the break.

But it was a different side in the second 45 minutes, as Scott Sanderson pulled a goal back and they had several other half-chances to snatch a share of the points.

Adair said: “We had another slow start and didn’t really get going – but had a great second half. That seems to be way it’s going at the moment – we are getting a great response to what we are telling them at half-time.

“That’s a positive, I suppose, but in this league you can’t get away with not getting going early on.

“We changed a few things at the break and asked a bit more of a few of them, and the second-half performance was as good as anything we’ve seen here in the past few months.

“We took the game to them and created half-chances.

“We finish matches really well – we had a 90th-minute winner against Camberley, a 90th-minute equaliser against Tadley and an 88th-minute equaliser against Abbey – perhaps it means we have got a bit sharper and fitter. We just need to start matches better.

“A few weeks ago we got hammered 8-0 by Badshot Lea and players could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel, saying it’s not for them and going to clubs offering better money. But they stayed together and our performances have been massively better and the attitude has been brilliant, although I never doubted that. We just need that little bit of luck.”

The tough matches keep on coming for the Brewers – they are at leaders Raynes Park Vale tomorrow (Saturday).