PETERSFIELD Town are still enjoying the challenges of competing in the Southern League despite still searching for their first league win of the season.

Draws against AFC Rushden and Diamonds and Barton Rovers and an encouraging performance against Fleet Town before floodlight failure forced that game to be abandoned showed the Rams are more than capable of competing at step four level.

Tuesday night’s defeat at league leaders Northwood brought Petersfield’s 30 game unbeaten run in league games to an end and to rub extra salt in the wound, striker Michael Dixon is now expected to be out for a month after picking up a hamstring injury in midweek.

The Rams put in an appalling performance in the first half at Northwood but they rode out an onslaught by the league leaders to only trail them 2-0 at half time. In the second half they improved and showed more attacking intent without firing fully on all cylinders.

Despite all of the poor fortune and bad luck Petersfield have been having of late manager Ian Saunders is still in a buoyant mood ahead of Saturday’s trip to Leighton Town.

“We are enjoying the challenges of this level,” said the Rams boss.

“It’s where we wanted to be and we need to turn our fortunes around and not sit back and think how unlucky we have been.

“We go to Leighton Town hoping to get our season started. We are looking to right a few of our wrongs from the season so far.

“We have been performing well during most of our games so far but what we need to do now is put this together for a winning performance.”

Dixon joins Matt Shortt and Howard Neighbour on Petersfield’s long term injury list.