Petersfield Town 1 Godalming Town 1: THE BRAGGING rights had to be shared between Petersfield and Godalming when the two sides finally came face to face at Love Lane on Wednesday night.

The much anticipated A3 derby clash – postponed on numerous previous dates due to the weather conditions and cup commitments – wasn’t quite the dramatic and exciting game supporters of both clubs were hoping for.

Both sides weren’t quite at their best in the final third of the pitch and that meant a draw was a fair result overall.

The first opportunity of the match fell to Godalming’s Will Hutton on 11 minutes when he received the ball just outside the penalty area but his rising shot was always going to clear the crossbar.

He set up the next opportunity nine minutes later when he touched a free kick 30 yards out to Louis Hutton but his low effort was easily gathered up by Petersfield keeper Anthony Ender.

On 34 minutes, Petersfield almost pinched the opening goal when Joe Briggs latched on to an attempted back header by a Godalming defender to his keeper Oneal Gaines but as the Rams player tried to lift his shot over the keeper, Gaines blocked it with his body and the ball rolled to safety.

The visitors took the lead on 39 minutes when Will Hutton turned past Sean Wain in the penalty area and the Petersfield defender pulled him down for a penalty. Darren Wheeler rolled his spot kick past Ender and into the net.

However, Godalming’s lead lasted only two minutes after Petersfield won possession in midfield. The ball was played to the right to Briggs and his cross found Jordan Neal inside the penalty area. Neal managed to flick the ball on past the visiting defence and Gaines and the ball dropped into the corner of the net.

The Rams then threatened to take the lead before the half time break when Howard Neighbour had a shot beaten away by Gaines and then Joe Richardson’s free kick from distance failed to trouble the Godalming stopper.

Five minutes into the second half Petersfield went close again when Ender’s long clearance bounced behind the Godalming defence and Briggs got to the ball and chipped it over Gaines as he raced off his line but his effort dropped wide of the target.

Godalming had two decent chances around the hour mark. Ashley Llloyd headed a corner over when he was left unmarked and a cross to the near post by Will Hutton had to be beaten away by Ender at his near post.

Late on Godalming had the final chance of the game when a cross from the left was floated towards the far post. Graeme Purdy tried to place his header on target but the ball went back across the goal before being easily cleared.

Petersfield: Ender, Buckland, Wain (Geddes), Green, Hyde, Needham (Sackman), Richardson, J Neal, Neighbour (B Neal), Briggs, Giles. Subs not used: Norgate, Searle.