HEAVY rain caused Petersfield's home clash with Fawley to be called off last Saturday, but manager Bruce Kendall will be hoping that it has not dampened the team spirit that has hauled Town away from the relegation zone.

Petersfield have hit a purple patch in recent weeks, taking 10 points from their last four games.

The turn-around has seen Town climb to 13th in the Hampshire League Premier Division and was capped by their best performance of the season, a convincing 4-1 victory over high-flyers Poole Town two weeks ago.

Petersfield have won their last three games, but face a huge challenge at Love Lane on Saturday against top-of-the-table Winchester City.

Winchester, clear favourites to win the league, have lost just one game all season and take an awesome goal difference of +110 into the clash.

Petersfield Town Res 2, M&T Awbridge Res 3. Town Reserves squandered a two-nil lead at home to Awbridge and finished the mid-week game with 10-men.

Petersfield got off to a flying start at Love Lane when Barry Parker headed home a free-kick from the right.

And Town's promotion push looked to be firmly on track on the half-hour mark when Gavin Keogh slotted home another ball in from the right.

It was all one-way traffic in the first half, with Petersfield's stand in 'keeper, Mark Hutton, hardly called into action at all.

But the second half proved to be a different story.

Awbridge seized the initiative and pulled one back shortly after the restart.

Ten minutes later, they drew level and in the resulting protests for handball, first-choice 'keeper Scott Miller, who had come on at half-time, was given his marching orders.

Against 10 men, Awbridge continued to push and eventually found the winner.

Manager Richard Archbald said he was disappointed with the result and felt his side had deserved better.

He said: "We keep coming up against experienced players with a little bit of know-how. Our boys are still on a learning curve and they are getting there."

But Archbald said that striker Barry Parker has proved a real find.

"Barry has made a big difference. We have not had a goal scorer and someone who can run off the ball," he said.

The reserves travel to Netley this week where Archbald will be hoping to bolster their outside chance of promotion.