Alresford Town 3 Petersfield Town 1: Petersfield slipped to defeat in this East Hampshire derby clash but their spirited display deserved more reward from this game.

The Rams led at half time and kept the home side at bay until almost the hour mark but three goals in 15 minutes ensured the Magpies picked up all three points from this encounter.

The visitors endured an early scare when Sam Burt put his free header at the near post over the top before Petersfield took the lead on 15 minutes.

They won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area and Luke Kendall curled his shot over the wall and into the top corner of the net.

The Rams almost doubled their advantage straight away when Billy Connor got in behind the defence on the right but no one was on hand to convert his low cross across the face of the goal.

Connor was then bundled over inside the box by a clumsy challenge but the only man in the ground who did not think it was a penalty was the referee and he waved away Petersfield’s appeals.

Visiting goalkeeper Luke Eaton almost gifted Alresford an equaliser when he slipped over when trying to clear the ball. The home side broke forward quickly and a cross to the far post found Burt but his goal bound shot was blocked by a defender.

On their next attack Alresford managed to get the ball in behind the Petersfield defence and Tom Richards took the ball towards goal but his shot missed the far corner of the net.

Burt set Richards up for another shot on goal when he knocked the ball into his team mate’s path inside the box but Eaton was equal to the shot and managed to push it around the post.

Alresford went close at the start of the second half when a cross hit the top of the crossbar and bounced to safety but they were eventually on level terms after 57 minutes.

A corner from the right flew through a crowd of players inside the box and eventually the ball found substitute Craig Harding who applied the finishing touch from almost on the goal line.

Eaton had to remain on his toes when he tipped Burt’s shot around the post and the home side then had a goal disallowed for offside.

However, they finally took the lead on 67 minutes after some good passing build up play in midfield. The ball was slid perfectly past the Petersfield defence for Harding to rush on to and he rolled the ball past Eaton at his near post.

Alresford secured all three points six minutes later when they caught Petersfield trying to break forward and after getting in behind the visiting defence on the left, the ball was eventually worked inside to substitute Dave Parry who hit a low shot into the net.

Eaton then had to make a one handed save to keep Harding’s flick on out of the net and Richards headed a deep cross from the left over the top.

At the other end Kendall shot from the edge of the penalty area only to see his effort deflected just wide of the target and Eaton had to push away Parry’s shot after the Alresford man had cut in from the right.