Petersfield 4ths (48) vs Portsmouth Vets (17)

On a fantastic day for the Petersfield Rugby Football club, four teams at home and the vocal backing of the VP lunch and sponsors, a combination team of 4ths/Vets, including several senior colts playing their first senior rugby, took to the field against Portsmouth Vets.

Once again for October, under dry, sunny conditions and the referee looking for a positive attacking game, it set the scene for an open game of rugby. The first quarter of the match was littered with handling and kicking errors as both teams opted to play expansive 15-man rugby, albeit Pompey were utilising their experienced front 8 in the main.

After several scrums, where both sets of front rows where engaging in ‘tit for tat’ as many were being won ‘against the head’, Petersfield eventually broke the deadlock. A quick tap penalty was shipped through various hands, ending in a storming run by the excellent, and man of the match, Toby Sydenham, who was caught just short of the try line but popped the past for Ward to score under the posts. With Petersfield in the ascendency, especially in the lineout where Marsh was causing problems for Pompey, another converted try by Ward, followed up by Sydenham’s first (of four), it looked like Portsmouth were to be scoreless at half-time.

Credit to Pompey, the third Petersfield try seemed to galvanise the players as they began to increase their support play. In quick succession, two well worked tries brought Pompey back in to the game. Half-time score – 17 -12 to Petersfield.

After the break, Petersfield’s tremendous support play eventually over-powered Pompey as six additional tries were run in – Sydenham (3), Blanks, Hawkins and Higson – but the day will be remembered by the powerful running display of the senior colt player, Sydenham. As the referee whistled to bring preceding s to an end, Petersfield could be satisfied with both their overall display and for the introduction of senior colts players to senior rugby.