Petersfield Town 0 Newport IOW 6: PETERSFIELD Town endured a torrid afternoon as the two sides at the bottom of the Wessex Premier Division table went head to head on Saturday.

They may have been level on points going into the game but there was a marked difference between the two sides on the day – the visitors showed far more determination and fight throughout the match and deservedly took all three points.

Petersfield have the ability in their squad to compete and get results at this level but they must find the resolve and passion within their ranks to match the efforts of teams like Newport if they are going to turn their season around.

After conceding two goals in the first eight minutes of their previous game against Portchester the key in this battle of the basement clubs was not to concede early ground again.

However, the home side got off to the worst possible start when they went behind after only two minutes. A corner from the left was played into the near post and Charlie Urry was given the time to turn with the ball and he picked out Spike Pearce on the edge of the six yard box with ease, who then knocked the ball into the net.

On 11 minutes Newport went close to doubling their lead when Josh Younie picked up the ball in midfield and with keeper Luke Eaton off his line the visiting player hit a dipping shot which the keeper got enough of a hand to to divert the ball over the crossbar.

Petersfield’s luck was typified by the chance Billy Connor had three minutes later. He cut in from the left before beating a defender and hitting a shot which beat keeper Gary Streeter but it bounced back off the inside of the post, flew across the face of the goal and eventually curled out for a goal kick.

On 20 minutes Connor set Grant Powell clear inside the box and his shot looked to be heading into the far corner of the net until a defender’s last ditch block sent the goal-bound shot out for a corner instead.

Newport did get their second goal on the half hour mark when a through ball into the right hand side of the penalty area squirmed under Olly Kershaw’s foot. Josh Younie seized on the loose ball, shrugged off a challenge and then hit his shot low into the net.

The visitors got their third goal from a long clearance, which was latched on to by Younie. He took the ball past the defence before lashing home his shot into the top corner of the net.

In the second half Connor Kelly should have done better when he was put clean through but he lifted his shot over the top and at the other end substitute Jordan Neal almost had an instant impact on the game when he broke into the left hand side of the penalty area and forced Streeter to block his shot with his legs.

It was 4-0 on 66 minutes when Urry slipped past the home defence on the left hand side of the penalty area and after cutting inside, his low shot beat Eaton at his near post.

Aidan Sainsbury then had two good chances to score for the visitors when he put his first shot from the edge of the box straight at Eaton and from a similar distance his second effort flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Goal number five arrived on 77 minutes when the visitors again too easily found their way into the home side’s penalty area and substitute Aurele Beya had all the time in the world to tuck away his shot from close range.

The scoring was completed with six minutes remaining when Urry caught Josh Gilbert in possession inside his own penalty area. The Newport player was quickest to react after the challenge and he then walked the ball into the net.

The visitors went close again on 88 minutes when Beya found space inside the penalty area and his effort was blocked on the line by the combination of Eaton and a defender.

Petersfield: Eaton, Gilbert, Kershaw, Wycherley, Plackett, Tayler, W Essai, Elward (Kendall), Connor (Boxall), Powell, Tremlett (J Neal). Subs not used: Walker, Evans.