League strugglers Romsey could be forgiven for thinking that they could leave Penns Place with a win this weekend. Petersfield gave Romsey their only league win so far this season, at the end of October, and last week’s loss for Field at the Isle of Wight must have hinted at a team in a fatal decline.

However, having seen the worst of their hosts earlier in the season, Romsey were to become unwilling witnesses to the very best that Field have to offer in their rollercoaster season. With eleven tries - seven converted - Field not only laid the ghost of their previous performance against their guests, but should have restored some faith in their abilities following a stuttering start to 2015.

The score is not Romsey’s worst loss of the season - US Portsmouth recorded a 65-7 win back in September - but will put a dent in the team’s confidence after a series of closer losses.

Field’s forwards set the platform for an impressive display by the free-running backs. Imperious throughout, the Field pack were bested only once in the match when Romsey drove over with ten minutes gone to take a 2-point lead – Franks opening the scoring for the home side with a try within a few minutes of the kick-off.

The tight five were solid throughout and caused their opponents huge problems at scrum time, pushing them back as if they were on rails. Prop Sam Brown capped a fantastic performance with the try that regained the lead for Field just before the end of the first quarter. The magnificent man mountain also started the move that ended in Field’s fourth try; Brown’s terrific turnover putting the home side on the front foot. Field didn’t need the penalty advantage on offer from the subsequent play as Franks punished the gaps in the defence to race home from halfway.

Moments before this Field No.8, Eryn Eales, had benefitted from a similar gap to finish from 15-metres as the home side switched the ball from right to left and Eales joined the backs line. He was not the only star in Field’s backrow and Ben Hooper put in a typically energetic shift, helping his side to turn over more than one Romsey lineout, and Captain Chris Ellis continued to lead from the front with some rampaging carries.

Field’s backs relished the service provided to them by the pack and no-one more so than left wing Tom Franks who finished the first half with four of the six tries scored, the last two coming in three minutes to bring the half to an end.

Within a minute of the start of second half, Field had increased their lead. This time a penalty try awarded as Romsey’s desperate defence entered the breakdown from the side in an attempt to prevent Field recycling the ball with a yard to the line. From the restart, Field regained possession only for Romsey to repeat their earlier indiscretion at another ruck and lose a player to the sin-bin. Halfway through the yellow card period Field scored again, a bullocking run by Rushmer, to bring their total to a half-century.

Romsey returned to full strength at the end of the third quarter but, when they gained possession failed to find a way past the solid Field defence. For their part, Field remained sharp in attack and scored two more converted tries. Firstly, Field turned over a fumbled Romsey attack and made yards downfield before fullback Glancy was set up to race through another gap on halfway, sending the defence this way and that with a balanced run on his way to the line. Then Franks finished the game as he had started it; scoring a try on the left hand side after a great pick up off his toes by Belcher and another surging run by Glancy.

1st XV Coach, Andy Patience, said after the match, "This was a cracking display of total rugby, our forwards controlled the set play and were both clinical and swift at the breakdown, setting our backs free to express themselves. The feast of running rugby would be most people's highlight but for me the way we responded to Romsey's brave rally in the second half when they camped on our 22 for a sustained period without surrendering the ball was really pleasing. We defended with both passion and intelligence, soaking up the pressure before regaining control of the game. Another great day for the club as we put out three senior teams as well as blooding two regular second team players their 1st XV debut in front of a home crowd."

It will be another fortnight before Field run out in the league again, this time away at Fordingbridge. Field won the last outing between the two but since then Fordingbridge have gone on to make fourth place their own.