Gosport Borough 1 Petersfield Town 0: PETERSFIELD’S last chance of securing any silverware this season disappeared in this Portsmouth Senior Cup defeat at Gosport on Monday night.

Club officials will not need to find room in the Love Lane trophy cabinet for any cups at the end of this season – in contrast to the last two campaigns which brought four major trophies for the Rams.

This was a disappointing end to their hopes of securing more silverware as Petersfield lacked the cutting edge to their game to see off the challenge of their National League South hosts.

The Rams made a promising start and went close to breaking the deadlock after 10 minutes. Following a series of corners, Howard Neighbour received the ball in the penalty area and then turned his marker only to see his shot blocked by Gosport keeper Jack Higgins.

From the rebound Joe Briggs tried to hit a fierce shot into the net from a tight angle but the Gosport keeper was in position to block his effort.

The home side got what proved to be the winning goal on 18 minutes. The ball was crossed in from the left and it looked like Petersfield keeper Anthony Ender was going to comfortably pluck the ball from the air.

However, Justin Bennett managed to get in front of Ender and as the ball dropped towards them the Gosport striker managed to flick a header into the net.

Some indecision between Higgins and one of his defenders almost handed Petersfield an equaliser via an own goal but the ball bounced off the defender and went wide of the goal.

A long punt down the middle of the pitch was knocked on into Briggs’ path and he hooked the ball towards goal first time and his effort went wide of the post.

Gosport should have gone 2-0 up on 37 minutes when they won possession on the left and they sent David Jerrard clean through but he hit his shot high and wide of the goal.

Two minutes before the interval Sean Wain floated a free kick forward from just inside the Gosport half and Neighbour headed it towards goal but he couldn’t quite guide his effort on target.

Petersfield almost made a disastrous start to the second half when they went close to netting an own goal two minutes after the restart.

Ender and defender Olly Searle got in each other’s way as they tried to deal with a cross from the right. Searle had deflected the ball towards his own goal but he was able to recover and hoist the ball to safety as Gosport’s players claimed the ball had crossed the line.

Petersfield had a great chance to score on 57 minutes following good build up play down the right. The ball eventually found Andy Todd who was inside the penalty area and he rolled it into the path of Joe Richardson on the edge of the box but he got his shot horribly wrong and fired it high and wide of the target.

Neighbour then headed over the crossbar when a corner found him unmarked in front of goal and at the other end a long ball over the top put Bennett clear but Ender raced off his line to block the Gosport striker’s attempt on goal.

The home side were looking the more likely to score in the closing stages when Jerrard hit a low shot straight at Ender, Perry Ryan fizzed an effort from 30 yards just over the crossbar and Bennett fired straight at the Petersfield keeper from the edge of the penalty area.

Petersfield: Ender, O Searle (Palfrey), Wain (Neal), Buckland, Hyde, Ford, Richardson, Sackman (Giles), Neighbour, Briggs, Todd. Subs not used: Needham, Eaton.