Petersfield Town manager Connor Hoare has challenged his side to prove they should be higher up the Wessex League Premier Division table.

The Rams currently lie in 14th position out of 20 teams with a slightly curious record – although they have lost ten and won only five of their first 16 games, they have a positive goal difference while the six sides below them have all conceded far more than they have scored.

Their latest chance to do something about it was foiled by a combination of heavy rain and a burst water main near their Love Lane ground, which caused the postponement of last Saturday’s league game at home to 12th-placed Andover New Street.

Hoare said: “It was unfortunate about the situation with the water at the club. A water main has leaked on to the pitch and there was nothing we could do about it. Added to the weather it was absolutely impossible to get the game on. It’s just one of those things.”

Hoare is fairly confident that the league match against AFC Stoneham today (Saturday) will go ahead, presenting Petersfield with another tough challenge in their first season back in the Wessex League’s top flight.

AFC Stoneham are one of four teams setting the pace and they are currently second having been beaten 2-1 at home by leaders Shaftesbury last Saturday (December 9).

Of AFC Stoneham, Hoare said: “From what I’ve seen they are probably the best team in the league but they lost on Saturday, so it shows anyone can be beaten in this league.

“We are a good side as well so if we perform at our highest level anything can happen.”

Next Tuesday Petersfield travel to Blackfield & Langley in the league.

Hoare said: “Blackfield is the kind of game we need to be looking at picking up points in. We need to win those games if we have any ambition.

“We think we are in a false position so the only way to prove that is to look at games against teams from sixth to 20th and be thinking ‘this has to be a win’.

“I don’t like putting pressure on us but that’s the way it is at the moment because we do have a very good squad.”