Petersfield close win away at Tottonians Water Lane ground send them into the first round of the league promotion playoffs to face Winchester away next Saturday at their North Walls ground.

Doing the double on Tottonians with a two point win last September at Penns Place the first league game of the season and even closer in this last league fixture bookended the season.

Petersfield were never ahead on the scoreboard until the last minutes with a spirited Tottonians team playing in front of their home spectators swelled by over eighty supporters who attended a pre match ladies’ lunch.

In near ideal conditions, only effected by a strong cross field wind play was fast, furious and in the most part skilful with both teams defending aggressively and attacking with determination. Totts set out their stall just ninety seconds from kick off when after a scrum for a knock on by Field they broke through Petersfield somewhat sluggish defence and with penalty advantage scored a converted try. 7-0

Less than fifteen minutes of play dominated by Tottonians possession a Petersfield scramble defence had Petersfield pinged for a high tackle Totts kick for three points drifting wide. Just two minutes later a Totts free kick was passed across the field to the right through the hands of three sprinting players for the outside man to cross the line for a converted try.14-0

Petersfield’s point of difference to their hosts was their dominance in the set scrums where they were in almost complete control. As play entered the second quarter Petersfield were awarded the first scrum penalty. From this and the possession on the halfway line some slick interplay between the back row of Zac Conley, Jack Janaway and Liam Perkins took the ball into Totts half with left wing Seb Tuff, centres Tom Blewitt and Matt McLean in close support. Shadowing this pod of players was full back Charlie Muir, as the ball was passed from Tuff to McLean on to second row Oli Hunt back row Jack Janaway, fly half Brad Caparo had spotted Charie Muir’s looping run to the right and launched a long pass to Muir. With the close support of right wing Ethan Horsfall, nursing a tight ham string, Muir broke through two tackles to score a try for Caparo to convert. 14-7

With a penalty advantage and just five minutes more on the clock Petersfield, in possession on the left wing, kept the ball in hand and using their much improved passing and handling moved the ball towards Tottonians tryline. Number eight player coach Liam Perkins in what may have been his last game for the club before he moves next season to a forward’s coaching role at Worthing Raiders was in position to run on to a pass from scrum half Joe Knowles and power his way to score a try under the posts for Caparo to convert 14-14

Petersfield were penalised for not releasing and the incredulous perpetrator identified by the official as Charlie Muir received a yellow card. Reduced to fourteen players Petersfield did well to prevent Totts from scoring and hold out until the halftime whistle.

Early in the second half Field prop Will Norton suffered an injury to his forearm and was replaced by Sam Janaway. Totts still with a player advantage and from a penalty maul the ball forward drawing in many Petersfield defenders and cross the line close to touch for an unconverted try. 19-14

Liam Perkins drew the attention of the match official and was yellow carded only minutes after Charlie Muir was restored to the field. This break in play gave an opportunity for the teams to receive a lecture on the finer points of the laws of the game. From the penalty Totts elected to successfully kick for three points taking their total to twenty two requiring Field to score twice to overhaul them. 22-14

Ethan Horsfall was replaced by Tom Ffrench-Lynch while Dan Sargent was next to trouble the scoreboard from a series of rucks, picks and drives after some passes by the backs had moved Tottonians defence he scrambled over the tryline close to the posts as Totts players attempted to hold the ball up, Caparo obliged with a conversion 22-21

At a scrum outside Fields twenty two Totts secured the ball through their number eight, he passed to his scrum half who in turn passed to their rapid winger who outran all Field’s defence to score a converted try 29-21

Seb Tuff caught a Totts relieving kick on Fields twenty two and set off at speed through Tottonians first line of defence after covering forty metres the defence closed in on him but he stayed upright and while slowed gave Petersfield hooker Sam Brown time to arrive and take the ball to bulldoze his way over the tryline for a converted try. 29-28

The touchline support of both teams fell quiet while they held their breath, chewed their nails, crossed their fingers and tried to calm their racing pulses. Tottonians added to the drama by taking a rare scoring opportunity with a successful drop goal for three points 32-28.

Petersfield pack were not finished as the clock ran down and Brad Caparo retrieved the ball from behind the post and sprinted eighty metres to restart. The pack made good the restart and mauled the ball towards the tryline with the excellent second row pairing of Franco Tomic and Oli Hunt combining to drive Hunt over the line for an unconverted try on the final whistle. 32-33

Having officially finished 5th in the Regional 2 South Central season, the clubs highest ever finish in the English rugby pyramid, ‘Field now face a tough challenge in their bid for promotion with a Quarter final at Winchester RFC awaiting them next Saturday.

We hope to have a large following up to North Walls Park for what will be a massive game for the men in red, white and green.

More details on timings will be made available on the club’s social media channels.