Havant 3rd XV prove too strong

Petersfield did at least manage to get two XVs out on Saturday with side made up of youth and experience. The youngsters, that did play including Tom Winfield, Dan Bateman, did give a good account for themselves and Dan Williams, although a natural hooker coped well on the tight side of the scrum and in open play.

Although the set-piece scrum was uncontested, it wasn’t the case in the loose and thanks should go to Craig Inch and Lee Boyd for stepping into the pack as injuries took their toll.

There was excellent work by Ben Winter at No. 8 and Dave Holden, now surely a Vet, showed no diminution in determination as he took on the role of flyhalf. The last player to arrive was Matt Higson, who had been cooking dinner for his family when he got the late call up. There are days when Higgy can be unimpeachable – unhappily Saturday was not one of them, but he stood up and was counted.

Petersfield did play gamely against a very well-drilled and disciplined Havant team, whose flyhalf ran the proceedings and they will account themselves unlucky when skipper Rich Deacon had a try disallowe3d as referee Dave Martin, who made a real contest of the match, was unsighted.

The 3rd XV are away to Southampton next weekend and a lot of these players will want to show that they are a better group than the weekend’s scoreline shows.