Laverstock & Ford 2 Petersfield Town 2: THE RAMS kicked off their season by fighting back from two goals down in the second half to gain a well-deserved draw at Laverstock and Ford on Saturday afternoon.

Petersfield went behind to an own goal in the 12th minute. Laverstock sent in a harmless cross and Ryan Kennedy cushioned a header, aiming for Rams keeper Martin Gardiner, but the header went past the keeper and into the net.

Kennedy had another horror moment at the end of the first half. With an attack fizzling out the ball went back to Kennedy on his right foot, and he tried to shift it on to his left. Laverstock forward Russ Stoes nicked the ball off Kennedy and squared it to Chae Sykes, who rolled it in from long range.

Petersfield got back into the game in the second half with a penalty. Cameron Smith was brought down in the box, and Matt Low stepped up and calmly placed the penalty in just after the hour mark.

The Rams nearly got back on level terms late on when they worked the ball well into an attacking position before sending a cross along the six-yard box to substitute Jordan Neal, whose left-foot shot went wide.

Neal soon made up for his error in dramatic fashion with an equaliser in the 89th minute. Low’s cross found Neal at the back post and he tapped home to make it 2-2.

Low had a chance to win it for Petersfield in the dying stages when he went through one-on-one, but Laverstock goalkeeper Alexis Auger blocked his shot.