Petersfield Town 1 Andover Town 2: PETERSFIELD Town slipped to a narrow defeat at the hands of the Wessex League Premier Division leaders on Saturday.

The fact there was any game at all is testament to the ongoing work on the Love Lane pitch, which was deemed playable while many other matches in the area had to be postponed due to the wet weather overnight.

Both sides deserve credit for trying to play football in the difficult conditions – the pitch was heavy throughout due to further showers in Petersfield during the morning.

The visitors used the experience and intelligence which has taken them to the top of the table to ensure they edged their way past an improving Rams side.

Andover had the majority of the early chances. Immanuel Soetan’s rising shot from the edge of the penalty area skimmed the crossbar and then Zach Glasspool hit a dipping shot which beat keeper Luke Eaton but dropped just over the top.

On 15 minutes Soetan went close again when he picked up the ball inside the box after a good passing move but his shot across goal went narrowly wide and then Mike Gosney had a shot blocked from eight yards out thanks to a last ditch tackle from the Petersfield defence.

The visitors took the lead on 17 minutes when the ball was threaded through to Alex Dockree who had burst into the box and he had the time to dispatch his shot past Eaton and into the net.

Five minutes later Luke Walker created Petersfield’s first decent effort on goal when he cut inside from the left but he hit his shot straight at keeper Luke Cairney.

On 25 minutes Billy Connor, back with the Rams after signing from Gosport Borough during the week before this game, picked up the ball in midfield and took it past three players before his shot on goal was blocked behind for a corner.

In the closing minutes of the half Gosney hit a shot from 25 yards out which flew just over the target and after Walker had lost possession of the ball, George Hallahan drove forward into the penalty area and hit a shot which Eaton parried to his right and Gosney couldn’t turn in the loose ball as he slid towards goal.

Andover were still creating chances at the start of the second half and Soetan and Gosney both had shots blocked and Glasspool had a free header at the far post which he directed straight into the arms of Eaton.

Petersfield looked threatening on the counter attack but they couldn’t quite find the right final ball which would have put their lively forward line clear of the visiting defence.

Andover extended their lead on 65 minutes when the home defence was caught napping. A cross from the left seemed to evade everyone except Joe Wright who slid in at the far post to turn the ball over the line from close range.

Eaton then had to turn a long distance shot by Michael Hubbard around the post and at the other end Walker drove forward from midfield but his final shot from the edge of the box went well over.

Petersfield got the sniff of a potential comeback with ten minutes remaining when Connor took the ball into the right hand side of the penalty area and he was bundled over by Luke Dempsey. The referee gave a penalty and substitute Luke Kendall drilled home his spot kick.

However, after this Andover took the sting out of the game by taking the ball into the corners when they went forward, which prevented Petersfield from putting their goal under more pressure.

The visitors created the final chance of any note late on when Glasspool received the ball after it was worked down the right wing but his low shot was easily held by Eaton.

Petersfield: Eaton, Gilbert, Kershaw, Wycherley, Tayler, Geddes, Keogh, Elward (Kendall), Connor, Boxall (Fagelman), Walker. Subs not used: Evans, Thomas, Essai.