Petersfield Town 0 AFC Rushden and Diamonds 1: PETERSFIELD slipped to an undeserved defeat on Saturday when AFC Rushden and Diamonds snatched a winner five minutes before full time.

A draw would have been a fair result as there was little to choose between the two sides throughout an entertaining encounter.

In fact both teams deserve enormous credit for trying to play football on a heavy pitch and in a stiffening breeze which was blowing straight between the goals.

The Rams rode their luck at times as a combination of poor finishing and the inspired goalkeeping of Anthony Ender kept them on level terms but at the other end they had plenty of half chances which on another day would have won them the game.

Ender was first called into action after 14 minutes when Tom Liversedge turned his marker on the edge of the penalty area and the Rams keeper had to dive full length to his left to push the low shot around the post.

Petersfield went close three minutes later when the ball was played to Joe Briggs on the right and he played a low ball into the path of Lewis Hyde, whose low shot had to be palmed around the post by keeper Matt Finlay. A quick corner then gave Hyde a free header on goal which was blocked by a defender.

Dan Sackman almost scored in his own net when he went to head clear a cross from the right but it just dropped over the crossbar and then good play on the left put Lewis Leslie clear inside the box but his first time shot was straight at Ender.

The Rams went close again with a corner after the ball into the box found Oliver Bailey and his audacious back heel caught the visiting defence unaware and fortunately for them the ball bounced off a defender and was cleared to safety.

Liversedge was then denied twice by Ender – firstly by tipping a shot at the near post behind for a corner and then deflecting a shot wide after he raced clear of the defence.

With ten minutes of the first half remaining Petersfield broke through midfield and Briggs crossed into the box. The ball was knocked up into the air by Jordan Neal and it dropped at the feet of Joe Richardson on the edge of the box but he fired his effort well over the target.

There were far fewer chances during the second half and Petersfield perhaps should have taken more advantage of the wind at their backs to test Finlay with some wind assisted efforts.

On 65 minutes the visitors were awarded a free kick 25 yards out and Claudia Hoban hit his effort straight into the hands of Ender.

Eight minutes later a quick throw in on the left was worked towards Tommy Berwick on the edge of the penalty area and he ran on to the ball but smashed his shot against the top of the crossbar.

Petersfield had a decent half chance to score with 11 minutes remaining when Briggs got clear on the right and his cross was initially dropped by Finlay but he regathered the ball as the Rams’ attackers tried to seize on the loose ball.

The winner came on 85 minutes after Petersfield gave away a free kick on the right hand edge of the penalty area. The initial cross into the box was cleared by the defence but it fell to Hoban 20 yards out and his first time effort flew through a crowd of players and into the net.

Petersfield: Ender, Searle, Wain, Brice, Sackman, Norgate, Hyde, Richardson (Jerrard), Neal (Silver), Briggs, Bailey (Lowley). Subs not used: Green, Neighbour.