Petersfield Town 2 Winchester City 4: PETERSFIELD Town crashed out of the Red Insure League Cup last Wednesday night in what was their first ever game in the competition.

It was a night when fortunes certainly didn’t favour the Rams, and Winchester’s opening goal after just three minutes typified the luck they have been having. Gary Norgate was only minutes into his Petersfield debut when he sliced a cross into his own net from six yards out.

The Rams drew level on ten minutes when Danny Thompson played the ball into the path of Jordan Neal and he slotted a low shot past keeper Brendon Norris and into the net.

Petersfield then dominated the following passages of play but although they had plenty of chances they couldn’t get the goals their play merited at the time.

Neal was put clear of the Winchester defence again and although he lifted the ball over Norris his shot dropped wide of the goal. Joe Briggs then saw one of his crosses nearly sliced into the net by a visiting defender, Neal’s shot from the edge of the box had to be turned around the post by Norris and Ryan Woodford’s shot on the turn was fired straight at the keeper.

Thompson then tried his luck from 25 yards but shot straight at Norris, Neal’s cross was only half cleared to Benny Read whose shot was blocked by the keeper’s legs and Lewis Hyde’s header from a corner dropped just over the crossbar.

Petersfield eventually took the lead on 44 minutes when the ball was played to Briggs on the right and he was given the space to cut inside and then curl a shot past Norris and in off the far post.

However, the home side were not to take a lead into the half time break as in injury time a long punt downfield by Winchester evaded the Petersfield defence and the ever dangerous Warren Bentley ran through and tucked his low shot past keeper Anthony Ender.

Things got worse for the Rams when the visitors took the lead three minutes into the second half when quick play down the left saw the ball moved back across the edge of the penalty area and Bouwe Bosma had all the time and space he needed to smash a low shot back across Ender and into the bottom corner.

Rams skipper Ryan Woodford was then shown a straight red card following his reaction to a foul against him. While he could have few complaints about being given his marching orders it was surprising to see the Winchester player remain on the pitch when both parties involved appeared to raise their hands towards each other.

Winchester then threatened to run away with the game when on 73 minutes Bentley cut in from the right and his curling shot was just about plucked out of the air by Ender.

Substitute Adam Roberts then saw his shot partially blocked and it ran to Bentley whose follow up effort hit the outside of the post.

Winchester’s fourth goal eventually arrived on 78 minutes when some good play down the right set Roberts up on the edge of the box and he curled his shot past Ender and into the net.

The visitors were then reduced to ten men when Luke Benali received a red card for a late challenge from behind.

Petersfield went close to reducing the deficit in the closing minutes when Read received the ball on the left from a free kick and his deep cross found Dominic Cope but his header was straight at the keeper.

Petersfield Town: Ender, Hyde, Searle, Woodford, Norgate, Read, Briggs, Thompson, Neighbour, Neal (McEnery), Lowley (Cope). Subs not used: Sackman, Flanighan.