PETERSFIELD 48, FARNBOROUGH 0

PETERSFIELD showed they had lost none of their edge as league action resumed on Saturday, beating basement side Farnborough in a one-sided game at Penns Place.

There were to be no late Christmas presents for the beleaguered visitors. ’Field not only ran in eight tries, but denied ’Borough any points in their heaviest defeat of the season. Nailed to last place with -2 points, Farnborough look doomed for the drop from Hampshire 1.

Petersfield trail leaders New Milton by just four points. Fordingbridge are four points further back, but have a game in hand. ’Bridge will not play their extra game until the penultimate weekend of the season, making this Saturday’s return fixture between the teams vital for Petersfield’s promotion prospects.

Flanker Toby Armstrong scored the opening try after eight minutes and, soon after, he collected a cheeky short grubber from Frazer Patience to dot down again.

The game was effectively over as a contest early in the second quarter, with ’Field leading 26-0 after the fourth bonus-point try.

The third, fourth and fifth tries broke the back of Farnborough’s resistance, all coming from almost identical moves in a 15-minute spell.

First, Harry Attwood broke down the left from his own half to the defensive 22 before anyone could get close and the supporting Armstrong was on hand to put Jack Glancy in for an easy score. Then déjà-vu as Attwood made another powerful run and this time flanker Armstrong took the glory, scoring his second try.

Ten minutes on, ’Field again employed the left-wing route and Glancy secured his own brace, using the supporting Tom Franks as a foil for a textbook dummy to set the last defender back on his heels and out of contention.

Scrum-half Josh Haslett kicked his fourth conversion from six attempts and, thereafter, Farnborough concentrated on damage limitation. However, with so much forward dominance in the loose and set-pieces, Petersfield were not to be denied and Chris Edwards scored from close range, following a powerful drive by Alex Patience.

The second half was a much scrappier affair and the home side could only turn their superior possession and territory into two further tries, both unconverted. Impressive lock Franko Tomic added another deserved try to his season’s tally and veteran Jay Bremner continued to show why he’s an ever-present on the team sheet with the final try of the game.

Farnborough squandered their only real chance of the match by failing to win their own penalty lineout five metres out. This was a rare push for the try-line by the visitors. Even with ’Field reduced to 14 men with ten minutes to go (a yellow card for some handbag swopping in midfield), ‘Borough struggled to break out of their own half.

Petersfield’s coaching team will be keen to work on the side keeping their cutting-edge throughout the 80 minutes. With things so tight at the top of the table, the points-scored difference could prove to be crucial.

The match at Fordingbridge this Saturday kicks off at 2pm.