When the teams last met in October, Stoneham were comfortable winners, scoring 42-points for no return. Since then the visitors have gone on to base themselves near the top of the table, whilst the hosts’ fortunes lie in the opposite direction.

The first quarter was a slightly dour affair for the assembled support as they watched the two teams battle for supremacy between the respective 22s – Stoneham edging the territorial advantage – before the game finally burst in to life with a score apiece. Petersfield seemed to react more positively to the game opening up and, in the space of 10-minutes, had added three more tries to put a healthy gap on the scoreboard. In all cases, the home side managed to turn pressure into points.

The first of the hattrick came as they finished a number of phases in the visitor’s 22, before crashing over. Two minutes later and they secured their second; Field thought they had scored in the corner only for the referee to award a 5m scrum to the defence for a knock on in the tackle. Pressure from Field scrummy, Rich Adams, caused his opposite number to fumble the ball back over the line where it was pounced upon by a grateful flanker. The third came from a clever blindside break from a lineout that gained Field yards and swift hands from the forwards found hooker Adam Coyte who pinned his ears back and sprinted for the line, essaying a strong fend on the last defender to clear the way for a well taken score.

Stoneham pulled back a try to finish the half and continued to add to their score ten minutes after the break; a fumbled ball from Field led to a hack though and score and the visitors were back within touching distance of the lead.

Where the first half seemed to take place mainly in midfield, the second swooped between the try lines, but this time it was Stoneham who carried the territorial advantage. At the end of the third quarter, Field benefitted from the open spaces as they counter attacked; Josh Whitear received the ball wide on the right and had enough gas in the tank to round around the defence before scoring under the posts. Groves added the extras, his third and final successful conversion of the game.

The final quarter was a breathless one for Field as they were forced to defend for long periods, often just yards from their line. Stoneham’s pack were achieving some dominance at the scrum and, from such a set piece, set up a move that resulted in a fourth try, converted.

Field pushed back into their opponents half but failed to make any pressure pay. Too often attacks went awry as the ball was turned over too easily. The final five minutes saw Stoneham camped once again in Field’s 22, but no matter how hard they knocked on the door, the defence would not let them in. It was a heroic attempt that was finally relieved when Stoneham conceded a penalty which Groves cleared to halfway. Field finished the game on the front foot, keen to put distance between the Stoneham attack and the home try line, and were relived and delighted in equal part when the final whistle blew.

The 3s will have to wait until then end of January when they should travel to meet US Portsmouth’s second team who sit just above them in the league.