Petersfield Town 3 Aylesbury 2: HIS SOCIAL media name is Berty McBertface and he will long be remembered with mirth by Rams fans following a Twitter tirade after his team Aylesbury were beaten at Love Lane.

From a rickety stand roof to a decrepit ground and from a below average team to getting stick from the ‘farmer types’ of Petersfield, every excuse was given by this visiting fan as to why his team had just lost.

However, the Rams had the three points in their pockets and that’s all that really matters – and they had managed to dent Aylesbury’s hopes of getting into the play-off positions along the way.

It has not been uncommon to hear derisory remarks coming from the opposition when they have visited Love Lane this season but their grumbles have been Petersfield’s gain as the Rams boast one of the best home records in the division.

Ian Saunders’ men produced another impressive performance to not only stick with a strong Aylesbury performance but to find that extra gear when it was needed to dig out the winning goal towards the end of the game.

Petersfield made the perfect start to the match when they took the lead with barely 60 seconds on the clock.

A cross from the left held up in the blustery conditions and it found Joe Briggs on the right hand side of the penalty area. He sent his header back across keeper Matthieu Varnica and the ball bounced into the far corner of the net.

The Rams had the wind at their backs in the first half and they tried to use it to their advantage when it came to shooting on goal.

On 19 minutes Briggs tried to curl home a free kick from the left and it just skimmed the top of the crossbar and then a quick throw in on the right saw the ball crossed to Andy Todd but his header was well held at the near post by Varnica.

The visitors drew level on 23 minutes after the ball was played into the penalty area from the right and Petersfield’s defence failed to clear their lines properly.

The ball fell to Gareth Price on the edge of the box and after taking the ball past his marker he fired off a shot which Rams keeper Anthony Ender could only palm on to the post and the ball bounced into the net.

Varnica had to then turn Briggs’ free kick around the post, Joe Richardson dribbled the ball along the byline and tried to toe poke it home from close range and Stuart Green shot straight at Varnica from 25 yards out.

However, the Rams took the lead again four minutes before half time when Jordan Neal’s persistence paid off on the right hand side of the penalty area.

He won possession of the ball, twisted his marker inside out and then sent a low cross in across the face of goal and Howard Neighbour back heeled the ball home from close range.

Aylesbury made the perfect start to the second half when they drew level again just eight minutes after the re-start. They played a ball over the Petersfield defence for Edd Smith to run on to.

As he did this Ender raced off his line to try and block his shooting chance and this allowed the striker to chip the ball over the onrushing keeper and into the empty net.

The visitors looked the stronger side at this stage but there was still a sense that the game could go either way.

Rob Tomlin should have done better when he received the ball in space about 25 yards out but as he tried to curl his shot past Ender he put too much on it and it went over the crossbar.

As the game entered its final stages it was the Rams who rallied again and they started creating some decent half chances to score.

On 72 minutes Neal received the ball on the left and decided to try his luck on goal and his shot from 25 yards out only just whistled past the far post.

Petersfield got what proved to be the winning goal two minutes later. Briggs had found some space on the right and he played the ball inside to Neighbour on the edge of the penalty area. He turned and shot first time and his low effort flew past Varnica and into the net.

With five minutes remaining the Rams almost made sure they would get the points when Sean Wain curled in a free kick from the right. It was flicked on by Neighbour but Neal headed his effort wide at the far post.

In the dying moments of the game Aylesbury almost snatched a point. Ender came off his line to try and punch clear a corner from the left. It didn’t go very far and as Aylesbury’s players tried to get to the loose ball and turn it over the line, the Petersfield keeper dropped down on the ball quickly to ensure the home side’s lead was kept intact.

Petersfield: Ender, O Searle, Wain, Green, Buckland, Ford, Richardson, Todd (Giles), Neighbour, Briggs, Neal. Subs not used: Hyde, Saunders, Geddes, Eaton.