PETERSFIELD 27, ISLE OF WIGHT 24

PETERSFIELD beat Isle of Wight to regain the lead in Hampshire 1, but needed a large slice of luck to win the day on a half-frozen pitch.

Former leaders New Milton postponed their fixture, meaning they are level on points at the top with a game in hand.

It was a third match in seven days for Petersfield – they had played the Royal Navy in midweek – and it looked a struggle from start to finish.

The pitches at Penns Place had failed to thaw completely and the conditions could have been deemed a safety hazard.

The decision to play rested with the captains. The 2nd XV’s opponents, Basingstoke, opted for their match to be abandoned, but Isle of White decided to play after their long trip.

The Isle’s bold decision was Petersfield’s first piece of luck, given the eventual result of a desperately close match.

Petersfield had won the earlier fixture comfortably, defying the hoodoo that always seems to accompany ’Field teams travelling across the Solent. However, it was clear on kick-off that the Islanders were determined to keep that monkey on the hosts’ backs.

The visitors were soon putting a somnolent ’Field under the cosh, looking most likely to score with superior field position and possession. However, ’Field weathered the storm and built up pressure with a series of penalties.

Josh Haslett took advantage with a try out wide for the opening five points, but Petersfield appeared to switch off at the restart and their normally stingy defence was pulled apart as IoW levelled the scores.

The Isle repeated the move five minutes later and this time the try was near the posts, the simple conversion leaving Petersfield in arrears by 5-12.

As ever, the ’Field pack was dominant at the scrums, routinely driving the opposition back as if on rails.

The visitors got away with infringements that should have been picked up by officialdom, but the forward pressure paid off early in the second quarter. Towering second row Franko Tomic charged down a hasty clearance in the IoW 22 and chased the ball over the line to touch down.

Haslett’s conversion attempt from wide left struck the post, but Petersfield were building up a head of steam and soon scored again. Another powerful scrum set up Matt Painter for a bullocking run to the line, pulling in defenders before slipping the ball to Fraser Patience who finished the job. Painter slotted over the conversion and ’Field had a five-point advantage at 17-12.

Again, though, the home side eased up and were duly punished as the Isle scored a converted try to take a two-point lead into half-time.

Ominously, Petersfield’s short kick-off gave the ball back to IoW and it was deep into the third quarter before the reds got out of their own half.

Once again, it was the forwards who provided the power and Harley Orr crashed over by the posts from the back of a ruck. The conversion and a Haslett penalty from almost the same position gave Petersfield what looked a decisive 27-19 lead.

But the Isle returned furiously to the fray and as the clock ticked down, an audacious cross-field kick launched a foray down the wing. The scrambling ’Field defence could not prevent the try, but forced the score out wide and the missed conversion kept the lead at three points.

With barely minutes left, the valiant Islanders continued to press and it took a huge effort for Petersfield to finally turn the ball over and get it into touch to end the game.

A huge scare for promotion-hunting ’Field and a great disappointment for the Isle who perhaps deserved more for the passion they showed on the day.

This Saturday, it is Petersfield’s turn to cross the briny, this time to take on Sandown & Shanklin, currently fourth in the table.