PETERSFIELD 0, OLD CRANLEIGHANS 32

PETERSFIELD again had players dropping like flies up to the morning of the match against Old Cranleighans.

Coach James Alder was able to call up players from the 2nd XV, whose game was postponed, but a scratch side that included three debutants and two veterans was hardly likely to pull off an upset against the joint London 3SW leaders.

Yet it was an improvement on the earlier meeting in October when the Surrey side put eight tries past a much stronger Petersfield side and conceded just one.

Since then, Petersfield’s fortunes have fluctuated, while Old Cranleighans have gone from strength to strength, losing just once – to title rivals Old Emanuel.

But it wasn’t exactly a shellacking for the Reds at Penns Place.

Apart from the woeful place-kicking that cost Cranleighans at least 10 points, the visitors were made to work very hard for their six tries – three in each half.

It was testament to Petersfield’s defensive effort that all bar one of the tries were scored out wide, making the conversions that more difficult.

Small victories maybe, but victories nonetheless on a day when the home side faced almost certain defeat.

’Field were at their most obdurate, refusing to lie down and play dead in the face of insuperable odds, with the stand-in players standing shoulder to shoulder with the regulars.

’Field were overpowered in the scrums, but competed well in other facets of their game. Rather than stick the ball up the collective jumper and hope to starve their opponents of possession, the home side strived to play positive front-foot rugby.

They certainly had their share of possession and territory, but Cranleighans’ defence was always just too good for them, slowing the release of the ball at the breakdown and snuffing out attacks, even when down to 14 men in the second half (one too many penalties for slowing the ball down when ’Field were in their half).

“It was a game of performances,” said coach Alder, “and the players should be very proud of the way they performed today.”

Petersfield at least picked up no further injuries and should be much stronger for the away fixture with Battersea Ironsides on February 17.