Petersfield First XV fell to a disappointing defeat away at Winchester’s North Walls Park HQ on Saturday. After turning over Tottonians the previous week, expectations were high amongst the Petersfield faithful and many of Winchesters own supporters were complimentary on the previous weeks result and based on the limited form, expected a tough game.

After six minutes at a penalty lineout on Winchester’s halfway Petersfield’s throw was cleanly taken by second row Franco Tomic and delivered into the waiting hands of scrum half Dan Chinnock who passed to fly half Joe Knowles. Knowles swiftly passed to get his back line moving with a miss pass to Matt McLean at outside centre, inside centre Miles Sampson acting as decoy. With both wingers Ethan Horsfall and Toby Colwood joining the line rapid progress was made towards the hosts tryline. The final pass being to fullback Charlie Muir who touched down for an unconverted try 0-5

Next it was the turn of the forwards to score with some excellent support play from the back row of Zac Conley, Jack Janaway and Karter Whittock, while the front row of Sam Janaway, Sam Brown and Dan Sargent kept the momentum going against determined opposition, from close range second row Franco Tomic carried the ball over the tryline to touch down for Joe Knowles to convert 0-12.

Petersfield’s travelling support felt that this was heady stuff against last season third placed team in the league. Petersfield, emboldened by their success so far, perhaps became a little overconfident and continued to pass the ball around, somewhat dangerously, inside their own twenty two. In their enthusiasm they lost their rhythm and were pinged for crossing on their own twenty two in front of the post and Winchester took an easy three points from the penalty kick. 3-12.

With halftime approaching a Petersfield penalty kick from their twenty two on the left of the pitch failed to reach touch assisted by strong gust from the intermittent breeze. Winchester took the ball cleanly and reversed the kick down same touch the ball again staying in field. Petersfield now gathered and passed across their backline towards the right touch. After three Petersfield players had passed the ball the final pass out to the wing was intercepted and three Winchester player pored through the defence. All Petersfield players had to turn to retreat and defend while Winchester capitalised and scored under the post for a converted try with the half time score at 10-12

At the break the touchline talk was of a close game where possibly one score would separate the teams. However, it quickly became apparent that the Winchester team hadn’t got the memo as they came out of the blocks at a rate of knots. The hosts forwards combining in a period of penetrating pressure assisted by a line break from their backs mauled and drove over the tryline in the corner for an unconverted try 15-12

Next Winchester won a lineout on their right and moved the ball to the centre of the park where their outside centre ran a diagonal line to the opposite tryline touch despairingly chased down by the visitors’ defence to score an unconverted try 20-12

Winchester had obviously raised their game while Petersfield continued to attempt to play open and expansive rugby which was often hurried leading to mistakes, knock-ons, passes behind the receiver, kicks out on the full all contriving to make progress difficult.

Petersfield next won a lineout outside Winchester’s twenty two, Dan Chinnock passed to Joe Knowles who passed to Matt McLean who broke through Winchester line. As the ball was recycled it was passed again towards Petersfield’s right wing where there appeared to be space only for the penultimate pass to be intercepted by Winchester and in an eighty metre footrace score a converted try. 27-12

After the restart both teams received a yellow card losing a player to the bin for ten minutes after mutual frustration resulted in some argy bargy with Petersfield awarded the penalty. To add insult to injury Petersfield missed touch, Winchester kicked in to touch and Petersfield made mess of the lineout by drifting offside. Petersfield compounded their woes by offering unsolicited advice to the referee and were marched back ten metres.

Winchester profited from both field position and the penalty with their pacy backs shifting Petersfield defenders both left and right to take the ball over the tryline for a converted try. With five minutes left on the yellow cards and under ten minutes remaining for the match Petersfield attempted to wrest something from the game by looking to score two tries for a bonus point.

The pack seemed to take control and bullocking runs by Oli Hunt, Dan Sargent, and Sam Brown brought them to within ten metres of the tryline. Consistent good work by Zac Conley with Sam and Jack Janaway drove Winchester backwards until Winchester were sucked in to defend leaving Joe Knowles out on the right wing to latch on to a steepling pass to gallop in to score an unconverted try 17-34

The restart had Winchester contest for the ball in Petersfield’s half where Petersfield again transgressed a penalty being awarded with Dan Chinnock verbally expressing his frustration and the referee yellow carding him. Down to thirteen players Petersfield were relived when the final whistle was blown.

The result sees Field slip down to 9th in the Regional 2 South Central table with Winchester storming to the top of the leaderboard having maintained their perfect start to the 25/26 season.

This Saturday, Petersfield host Guildford at Penns Place who, will come into the match off the back of a storming 51-12 win over Reeds Weybridge. Like Petersfield, Guildford have started their season with a win and a loss though their win over Reeds Weybridge gives them a try bonus point meaning that they sit just one place ahead of Petersfield RFC in 8th place.

Cover Image courtesy of Jose Ribeiro Photography