On Saturday at Penns Place against visitors Guildford RFC Petersfield won with a bonus point, keeping them in fifth place in South Central League II.

With over One Hundred and Twenty guests from the Hampshire and West Sussex farming community enjoying their annual pre-match lunch, together with local and travelling support, almost four hundred spectators filled the balcony and touchline, whilst one hundred spectators watched via our live stream.

When Petersfield visited Guildford in November, it took most of the first half for either side to trouble the scoreboard. From the kick-off, it was obvious that both teams were in a hurry to impress the scorers. Guildford have regained their mojo, with their last three matches ending in a loss by three points against Newbury, a seventeen-point draw against second in the table Tottonians, and a comprehensive victory over North Dorset.

With Petersfield putting out one of its strongest squads, hopes were high in the home camp. The hopes were soon raised with a try by prop Dan Sargent scored from a penalty lineout five metres out. Number eight Matt Momber, catching the ball at the tail, delivered the ball to scrum-half Joe Knowles, who passed to the standing-off and accelerating Sargent, who peeled round the tail to score a try converted by Nick Blumlein. 7-0

This try took Sargent’s tally for the season to eighteen, and he is closing in on a prize for reaching twenty tries in a season. Former First XV prop Matt Luff had, at the start of the season, wagered that if Sargent scored twenty tries, he would win one of Matt Luff’s beef cattle. Meanwhile, Fly Half Nick Blumlein was also closing in on a personal record of scoring Fifteen Hundred points in a Petersfield shirt.

Before the end of the first quarter, with Petersfield retreating into their own half, they were penalised for holding on in a ruck from where Guildford kicked for three points. 7-3

Petersfield, when in possession, were trying to break through Guildford’s defence by spreading the ball wide but failed to draw sufficient opposition into defensive positions. Guildford, whose handling was mostly accurate and quick, sent the ball to their left and changed direction across Petersfield’s defence until they had drawn them to their left. The visitors quickly reversed direction to find that they had a three-man overlap and charged down their left wing. They kicked through as the host defence closed in, and the ball was chased down by their scrum-half to touch down for a converted try. 7-10

Guildford were next to score from a penalty lineout on Petersfield’s twenty-two. Some excellent support play by their back row and centres saw them cross the line for a converted try. 7-17

Half-time was called when Petersfield were on the attack but lost the ball in contact, when Guildford kicked to touch to end the half. 7-17

The often vociferous Petersfield balcony support was a little subdued at half-time, as it was possible the match was slipping away from the home team against both form and expectation. Perhaps Petersfield’s tactics needed to be reviewed at half-time.

Just two minutes into the second half, Petersfield’s pack was on the attack, and just two metres out, a Guildford tackler forced the ball carrier to knock on, setting up a Guildford defensive scrum on the five-metre line. Once again this season, Petersfield’s scrum dominated and won the ball against the head for scrum-half Joe Knowles to miss-pass the decoy runner to inside centre Greg Jansen, who powered over for a try converted by Nick Blumlein. 14-17

The Jansen score energised Petersfield, who quickly added to the scoreboard through a well-worked phase of play. The ball arrived with the speedy Eddie Mathews on the wing, who broke through two tackles to dive for the line, with Nick Blumlein converting to reach his fifteen-hundredth point for Petersfield. 21-17

Guildford were offside at a scrum, leading to a penalty kick to touch near the corner. Petersfield once again captured the ball, and it was the try-scoring machine Dan Sargent who again peeled round the tail, crashing through two potential tackles to score a converted try. 28-17

Petersfield were now punching holes in Guildford’s defence while the visitors struggled to retain possession and build phases of play. After another strong Petersfield scrum, the ball was passed to Director of Rugby and coach Matt McLean, who had come off the bench at centre. He straightened the line, then drew a Guildford tackler, passing out to his left. The final pass was taken by Miles Sampson, who stampeded down the wing, shrugging off tacklers to score a try which was unconverted. 33-17

Guildford were not cowed by the flurry of scoring by the hosts. Through a series of three penalties by Petersfield, they kicked for touch each time, finally arriving five metres out for the lineout. They caught the ball and rolled over for a converted try. 33-24

Petersfield responded with their back line producing a series of rapid passes that released late call-up Toby Colwood to score a converted try. 40-24

Inside the last five minutes, Guildford scored one try to the right of the post, which was converted. 40-31

Petersfield’s restart kick was overlong, giving no chance of competing for the ball. Guildford set off up the clubhouse wing, passed inside and across the park to bypass Petersfield’s backs, where their player launched a superbly weighted kick pass to the left corner for their winger to catch and touch down in goal for a converted try on the final whistle. 40-38

Elsewhere in the league, league leaders Farnham secured a dominant 55-12 victory over all but relegated Andover, while second placed Bournemouth edged past Chichester 26-21 to keep their promotion hopes alive. Third placed Tottonians outclassed Newbury Blues with a 46-11 win, and fourth placed Winchester cruised to a 56-12 massive against North Dorset. Nearer to 'Field in the league, Wimborne (6th) delivered an impressive 55-17 performance against Chobham (7th) to remain hot on the toes of the boys in red and green heading into the final three games of the season.

Andover 12-55 Farnham
Chichester 21-26 Bournemouth
Newbury Blues 11-46 Tottonians
North Dorset 12-56 Winchester
Petersfield 40-38 Guildford
Wimborne 55-17 Chobham

Regional 2 South Central Table After GW19

This weekend, 'Field head up the A272 to Winchester RFC, as they visit Northwalls Park for the first time since 2023. With it not being that far from Penns Place, we to see expect a red army convoying through the Meon Valley in a fixture the boys will be hoping to avenge following the 32-15 loss to Winchester back in November.