Petersfield’s longest away journey ended in disappointment as their almost unchanged team from last week collapsed against a well drilled and aggressive Wimborne determined to use their home advantage to the full.

Wimborne opened their account after nine minutes when they won the ball at a scrum on halfway and through two passes and some swift forward movement delivered the ball into the hands of their player on the wing who galloped down the touch unopposed to score an unconverted try 5-0

Ten minutes later Petersfield won the ball at a scrum with the ball passed to the right only for the receiver to pass the ball back attempting a miss pass the ball failed to carry and a Wimborne player fly hacked it through into the visitor’s half. No player in defence could capture the ball before it was chased down and scooped up by Wimborne to cross the line for a converted try. 12-0.

Petersfield had 15 minutes of gametime where they spent it in or near Winborne’s half and they attempted to play their wide game through the backs as soon as the forwards gained possession. Regrettably the backs were mostly unable to profit by this either through dropped passes, balls lost in the tackle or stout defence by the host. Once Petersfield were within fifteen metres of Wimborne’s tryline the forwards took control and for five minutes rucked, mauled and scrummed their way across the width of the pitch rarely surrendering possession while their host became rather frustrated. A Wimborne second row was yellow carded for repeated infringements a lineout. A knock on by Wimborne had Petersfield scrum in the left corner while Wimborne lost their number eight to a yellow card and Petersfield pushed the scrum over the line for Karter Whittock to dot down and Joe Knowles take a difficult conversion. 12-7.

As halftime approached Petersfield’s possession of the ball from a scrum was lost due to dropped pass that was pounced on by one of the host rapid backs with referees advantage and rapidly carried down the pitch to score a third try only for the conversion in front of the posts to be sliced so obliquely that it failed to bisect the post. Halftime score Wimborne 17- 7 Petersfield.

At the restart the numerous traveling Petersfield support thought that a ten point deficit could be overturned if Petersfield were less profligate with possession. With the host restored to full strength and Petersfield in possession just in their half yet another fumbled pass allowed Wimborne to score a converted try with thirty five minutes of the match to play. 24-7

At half time and with the break in play at the try Petersfield replaced Jack Janaway and Oli Hunt in the pack with Alex Robinson and Liam Perkins. At a ruck, which Petersfield lost to Wimborne’s counter, a penalty was awarded for in at the side and after an unnecessary exchange of views were marched back ten metres only for Miles Sampson to be yellow carded for further back chat.

From a tapped penalty Wimborne crossed Petersfield line for a further converted try the score now putting Petersfield’s hopes of a losing bonus point beyond reach Petersfield’s prop Sam Janaway replaced Dan Sargent. 31-7

Wimborne’s tactic throughout the match was one of close support play through their strong and mobile pack while their backs were just as willing to mix it with the forwards. At times they looked too narrow this tempting Petersfield to try to utilise their backs and hope that they could string together a few phases of play. At a break in play Miles Sampson was restored.

Wimborne, through close support play of their pack gathered the restart and moved the ball from right to left and dived over in the corner for an unconverted try. 36-7

The match final score from Wimborne’s forwards had them pass the ball across Petersfield’s defence through four players opening Petersfield’s line to rush through to score under the post a converted try 43-7.

It would perhaps be wise to report no further on this match which had been littered with penalties sufficient for the referee to speak at length to the captains on at least four occasions.

With play close to the clubhouse touchline a Wimborne player was tackled into touch carrying the ball. From this apparent innocuous incident, the joint frustration and heightened aggression of the players boiled over into a melee which drew in almost half the players on the pitch and some of the home replacements and support. As this seemed to be calming down a player from both teams threw punches, which as soon as referee felt it was safe to do so resulted in each receiving a red card. After the restart from a lineout and with feelings still running high, not calmed by the vociferous verbal intervention from the home support, a further incident of indiscipline had red cards awarded to a player from both teams and upon them leaving the playing enclosure the referee called full time.

This was, perhaps, the poorest match Petersfield have played in the last three seasons, that the players became frustrated was obvious while their supporters tried hard to find any thing to praise other than a few individuals and small passages of play.

Squad; Will Norton, Sam Brown, Dan Sargent, Oli Hunt, Franco Tomic, Zac Conley, Jack Janaway, Karter Whittock, Dan Chinnock, Matt McLean, Charlie Muir, Sab Tuff, Miles Sampson, Eddie Matthews, Joe Knowles, Sam Janaway, Alex Robinson, Liam Perkins.