Petersfield Vets V Romsey 2nd XV

Petersfield Vets were very pleased to welcome the boys from Romsey to Penns Place on Saturday for this friendly pool game. After last weeks disappointing loss in a very bad tempered game with Havant Vets the Petersfield old guard were keen to get back to just playing rugby, and not a "Handbag" or "Fists of Fury" was in sight throughout this 80minutes.

It was the home side that took the early advantage with the vastly experienced pack gaining the upper hand in the set piece scrum which provided a good platform for the excellent Holroyd at scrum half to put pressure on his opposite number and also to let loose the old dogs in the Petersfield back division. Despite good sniping runs around the fringes and barnstorming charges through the centre it was left to Gammon, the mercurial quite man on the left wing, to get the score board ticking. Showing his opposite number a clean pair of heels after receiving good quick ball wide from the back line Gammon raced over to score near the posts with the conversion from Groves to follow. Holroyd and debutant Dobson formed a very good half back partnership constantly asking questions of the Romsey defence and putting the Field three quarters into good attacking positions. Very quickly after scoring his first Gammon showed his pace again as he crossed the line for his second try out wide to take the lead to 12-0.

The Romsey boys rallied marvellously well and some quality close quarters work, must be that narrow pitch of theirs, soon saw them get on the scoreboard with their first try out wide. Despite some impressive kicking out of hand and in to touch it was not the goal kicker’s day and he missed this and a subsequent conversion attempt as the visitors pulled back to within 2 points 12-10. Petersfield had been victims of their own early success; their shape had gone, the defence was none existent and the pack had switched off. A succession of unforced penalties presented Romsey with an easy 3 points in front of the sticks for them to go into the half time break 12-13 up.

Never ones to hide from their own failings the Petersfield Vets were honest in their assessment of their first half performance and came out all guns blazing for the second half, particularly in the pack. Was this due to Barden’s rousing Nelsonic call to arms or the fact that birthday boy Nick Atkinson took to the field on his 50th birthday, who knows but the result was plain to see. The home pack and particularly man of the match Ian “Cuffy” Cuthbertson blitzed their opposition and created a vast amount of ball for Holroyd to continue his torture of the Romsey line. Once again his sniping around the fringes set up Gammon for his hat trick try and to regain the lead 17-13. It looked like the game had been closed out when Holroyd reaped his just rewards and dived over from close quarters for a converted try 24-13. Once again the Romsey boys rallied and after a period of sustained pressure managed to get “Rambo” crashing over to make the score 24-18. Obviously rattled Petersfield gave away another soft penalty which was easily converted to present the watching fans with a tantalising final few minutes at 24-21. But there was no fairy tale finish for Romsey as once again the home pack stamped their authority on the game and quick ball allowed fullback Higson to come through on one of his trademark crashing runs to score under the posts for a final score of 31-21.

As a final note it has to be said that this match was a pleasure to watch and was played in the truest spirit of the game. Credit is due to both sides for that as well as to referee Jenkins whose control of the game was exemplary throughout.