This past Sunday, 18th January, marked the day that Petersfield Women graced the pitches of Penns Place once again, making their 2026 debut in their usual ‘quietly confident’ style. But unlike their previous matches, this one had already had time to stew. A month prior on the 14th December, the female ‘Field side were set to play Aldershot & Fleet, providing them with an opportunity to right the wrongs of their first loss to Salisbury a month before. However, as player numbers on the away side dwindled, a cancelled match was the disappointing result. Fast forward to a few days ago, as an entree to their usual main course of fire and ambition, the Rams were hungry to beat some Herons.

It was an eventful day for Petersfield Rugby, with the U14 girls winning their match 43-24 with flying colours against the Didcot/Newbury/Oxford Harlequins at midday. A few of our own women’s players also took to the training pitches to help coach the mini’s, hoping to inspire and show the little ones a glimpse into their future at Petersfield.

Despite the greyish clouds rolling overhead and the ladies sporting the ‘Blackout’ kit, the club was alive with colour as spectators began to gather around the clubhouse. Cheers erupted as the teams ran onto the pitch for the first half, and the starting whistle saw Tegan Kinch make the first kick of the game.

Unfortunately, soon after kick-off Petersfield number 1 Charli Humm suffered a knee injury and had to come off for the game, but she showed real determination and spirit, supporting her teammates from the sidelines. 15 minutes into the game, the quick hands of scrum-half Mia Ellis passed to fly-half Hannah Wright from the ruck, who then sent the ball to 13 Tegan Kinch. Kinch then slipped untouched through the Heron’s defence to put up the first points of the game. Although the conversion was lost, the home side were ahead nonetheless, 5-0.

Confidence flowed through every Petersfield player from the restart, with brilliant displays of defensive intensity and the full use of the wings on attack. It was a mere five minutes until Tegan Kinch struck again, setting her sights on the tryline and leaving a trail of Aldershot & Fleet players in her wake. Kinch then put any critics to bed by sending the conversion straight through the uprights, 12-0. The roars of celebration from the spectators proved the effect of an early lead, with Heron heads hanging low.

However, Aldershot & Fleet were not ones to give up early. An expansive play to the far wing by the visitors saw their back three unbeatable by the Rams, scoring their first five of the game just before half-time. A missed conversion put the score at 12-5, proving the game was far from decided. The whistle blew shortly after, and both teams retreated to their respective changing rooms to strategise their next moves.

Despite the Herons giving the home side a challenging defensive line to break, fullback Kam Carty received an assist from Laura Beale (on her debut!) and stepped her way through four Aldershot & Fleet players to find the third try of the game, 17-5. It then took ‘Field two minutes to make it four, with an excellent run from Ayah Alzetani and an unbeatable finish by Holly Mullard to make it 22-5.

Fullback Kam Carty couldn’t wait to then grab her second score of the match, with ‘Field’s last try of the game coming just before the final whistle. In a show of kicking mastery, Kinch then sent the ball soaring through the sticks to bring the final score to 29-5. Despite an impressive fight from the visitors, Petersfield took the win and started their 2026 campaign off with a celebratory bang. The players all shook hands and took a photo together in a display of real camaraderie.

Congratulations to all of the Petersfield Debutants, Ayah Alzetani and Kerry Blomerus who dominated with their unstoppable runs, Becky Hollands and Laura Beale who set up the backs for their try-scoring glory, and Bea Daley, who displayed super speed and precision on her tackles.

After brushing up and putting on their Sunday best, a well-deserved meal provided by the fantastic club staff was waiting for our victors to refuel after their performance. Petersfield Captain Leanne Wallis stepped up to thank the Herons for the fantastic game and announced the Forwards and Backs of the match. Amy Hinxman deservedly received the Forward of the Match after an excellent effort on the pitch, and Tegan Kinch stepped up to accept the Back of the Match title after providing 14 points for her side.

The Rams now look ahead to their next game on the 15th February against Millbrook to continue their winning ways. Thank you to everyone who came down to the club to support, we hope to see you again soon.

[Photo Credit: Michael Clayden]