Petersfield 2nd XV (8) v Alton (10)
On a gloomy day, Petersfield played a tricky game against near neighbours Alton that could so easily have gone the other way had fate been kinder and hands been a little stickier.
Field began with some good early pressure, having the lion’s share of possession and territory in the first quarter. Doe was able to take the lead for Field with a nicely judged penalty following an Alton obstruction. However, for all their dominance Field were making to many mistakes to make Alton pay and, unpunished, the visitors slowly began to find their form.
A passage of play saw Alton scrum-half Willis chipping ahead to catch the 'Field defense flat footed. Fortunately for Field this only resulted in a drop out but Alton’s tails were up and, soon after they pounced on a dropped ball in midfield and, switching the ball form left to right raced over the first try of the game on the stroke of half time. With the try unconverted the score was 3-5 to Alton.
The second half was a repeat of the first, nip and tuck in midfield with Field paying the price for one too many dropped ball. The early phases were interrupted by a series of penalties which seemed to help stifle the flow of both teams. Field’s forwards worked tirelessly but it was once again Alton who showed Field how to convert pressure into points as a sustained period of possession saw them beating against Field’s defence before their forwards eventually surged over for the score. Stung by this effrontery, Field went back on the attack and within a few minutes had secured a try of their own; all must have appeared lost when Field coughed the ball up within yards of the Alton try-line, but a magnificent scrum turned the ball over and Bissett picked up the ball that squeezed out of the set-piece and powered the short yards to the try-line. The conversion out wide was missed and though both teams continued their battle, the score stayed the same with Alton winning by a narrow margin.
2nd XV Captain, Kellie, viewed the as a frustrating one which he felt Field could and probably should have won. “We created a lot of good chances but couldn't quite put them away with errors coming in at the vital moment. All round the team put in a decent effort especially in the second half but couldn't make the chances stick.” Kellie was fulsome in his praise of more new faces to join the 2nds from the Colts this season, Patience and Coel, who gave a good showing on their debut.
Match Squad: Alderman, Belcher, Bissett, Coel, Cosway, Doe, Downes, Dryden, Eldridge, Franks, Groves, Hoff, Johnson, Kellie (c), Marsh, Patience, Walker, Williams, Winfield