On Saturday Petersfield travelled to the Hampshire Dorset border for the second week to this rearrange fixture postponed from 6 December due to a waterlogged pitch. Leaving Petersfield in bright sunshine and ironically kicking off at 2pm in light rain that rapidly developed into heavy driving rain an unpleasant experience for officials, players and touchline supporters.

With the rearranged fixture taking place on one of the leagues “rest” weekends Petersfield’s squad selection was influenced by player’s availability and resulted in some intriguing positional changes

Ellingham and Ringwood (E&R) have been rooted at the bottom of the South Central Two league table since the opening weekend while valiantly and sportingly fulfilling their fixture commitments. After Petersfield’s comprehensive defeat last week at the hands of their near neighbours Wimborne it was to be hope the visitors could win the game while addressing some of the on pitch problems of that match.

Petersfield kicked of deep into E&R’s half and chased down their ball carrier tackling him to the ground. With committed rucking the visitors gained possession and then reverted to Petersfield’s close range tactic of pick and drive. After four drives were deemed held up a fifth had Dan Sargent crash over only for a defender’s hand be under the ball. A tapped restart by E&R was knocked on and from a scrum that morphed into a driving maul a penalty and yellow card were awarded to E&R for repeated infringements at lose scrums after just seven minutes.

From a scrum 15 metres from E&Rs line Liam Perkins at number eight picked up a sprinted round the blind side to touch down for an unconverted try after nine minutes 0-5

Ellingham chased their restart and retained the ball passing across Petersfield defence and for a couple of minutes battered at Fields defence on their twenty two. Petersfield were eventually caught offside and E&R elected to kick a penalty in front of the posts opening their score with three points. 3-5

Next to score charging down the wing from thirty metres out was Alex Robinson selected at left wing in a change from his more regular position of back row or utility replacement the try was unconverted 3-10

The match now entered a period of play when Petersfield attempted to spread the ball wide so that their pacy wingers and full back could gain metres and get their blood moving on an uncomfortable day for the wide players. They took a little time to settle to their task until fly half Matt Mclean received a pass thirty metres out and with one of his trademark jinking runs sidestepping at least one potential tackler, he threaded his way to the tryline under the post for Joe Knowles to convert.3-17

After the restart cleanly taken by the influential Tom Blewitt who moving forward passed to his centre partner Greg Jansen who in turn passed to full back Charlie Muir on a speedy angled run. Muir chose to move inside from where the ball passed through four players to find Alex Robinson on the left who completed the move by crashing over in the corner to score an unconverted try 3-22

From a scrum Matt McLean got the back line moving with right wing Seb Tuff arching round him and a final pass popped up behind for Charie Muir to pin his ears back and gallop over the try line for Joe Knowles to convert 3.29

From a clean restart catch by centre Greg Jansen with support by second rows Ryan Morse and Franco Tomic a popped pass to Tom Blewitt and on to back row Jack Janaway had him, at speed, see a route to the tryline under the post, twice dummying passes when he thought he would be talked he slid in to score a try for Knowles to convert.3-36. At Half Time

During the break what had been steady rain for over half an hour turned into a torrential downpour accompanied by very strong wind. Obviously, Petersfield adjusted their tactics to utilise their superior forwards with Will Norton, Sam Brown and Dan Sargent at the coal face and the addition of Harley Orr from the bench to rest Sam Brown. In the backs fresh legs needed warming up in the shape of Dan Chinnock at fly half and Jamie Guthrie at full back.

The Pack brought the ball to the right of the post and again were repelled several times by the gritty defence of E&R until Liam Perkins grounded the ball in goal for Joe Knowles to complete a difficult conversion.3-41

A pinpoint penalty kick by Ellingham and Ringwood had the ball land in field and cross the touch by the five metre line. Their clean lineout take was successfully mauled over the line for a converted try 10-41

In a last hurrah by Petersfield pack Karter Whittock touched down for and unconverted try. Then by mutual agreement with ten minutes left on the clock the referee call full time as the conditions continued to deteriorate. Petersfield having secured the win and try bonus point placing them at sixth in the league and six points ahead of seventh placed Havant II. Final score 10-47

Next Saturday Petersfield return to Penns Place to greet league ninth placed Twickenham RFC

Squad; Will Norton, Sam Brown, Dan Sargent, Franco Tomic, Ryan Morse, Jack Janaway, Karter Whittock, Liam Perkins, Joe Knowles, Matt McLean, Sab Tuff, Tom Blewitt, Greg Jansen, Alex Robinson Charlie Muir, Harley Orr, Dan Chinnock, Jamie Guthrie.