Petersfield Town 2 Bournemouth 2: THE FACT there was disappointment in the Rams camp on Saturday evening even though they had just stopped a run of nine consecutive defeats, shows you that Petersfield have made some significant strides forward in recent weeks.

Yes they have still taken some heavy beatings but a quiet revolution has been going on in the background, with a more settled squad slowly getting to grips with the style of play they need to employ if they are going to pick up points on a more regular basis going forward.

Petersfield’s disappointment stems from the fact that Jordan Neal’s goal nine minutes before full time was to secure a draw rather than a win, when the visiting side had posed the Rams little threat in front of goal during the second half.

The home side started brightly and had all of the early chances. On nine minutes a cross-field pass put Olly Kershaw in behind the Bournemouth defence and his cross was just too high for Neal to get a firm header to and his flicked effort went wide of the goal.

Five minutes later Petersfield broke forward down the right and after being partially held up, the ball was crossed to the left hand side of the penalty area where Kershaw’s first time dipping shot just went over the crossbar.

Petersfield’s bright start was extinguished by the visitors though when they took the lead on 22 minutes. Robert Head took a free kick 25 yards from goal and after keeper Luke Eaton beat away his effort, the home defence stood and watched as Stuart Glynn slid in on the loose ball to turn it into the net from close range.

Two minutes later the home side pushed forward again when Luke Kendall put Luke Walker through on the left hand side of the penalty area but there was no one on hand to tap the ball home when he put the ball back across the face of goal.

Kendall tried his luck from the edge of the box but missed the target and Petersfield then had a perfectly good looking goal disallowed for offside – Walker was put clear of the visiting defence before he dispatched his shot into the net but the linesman’s flag was raised when the Rams’ striker looked yards onside when the ball was played.

At the other end Bournemouth then threatened to extend their lead when Peter Skanaj drove forward and fired his shot just wide from the edge of the box and Chia Khider put his effort just wide when he got to a rebound first after Eaton had made a solid save.

Petersfield drew level four minutes before half time when they won a corner on the right. The ball was crossed perfectly into Neal and from just inside the six yard box he powered his header into the net.

Two minutes later the home side almost snatched the lead when the ball was knocked forward into the left wing channel and Kershaw turned the ball inside to Walker. After making his way into the box he laid the ball off to Kendall whose goal-bound shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Petersfield dominated the opening exchanges of the second half and on the hour mark Walker broke free down the right before pulling the ball back to Kendall on the edge of the box but he lashed his shot well over the crossbar.

Ed Plackett almost scored on 67 minutes when he got on the end of an inswinging free kick from the right but he put the ball agonisingly wide when he slid in on it.

Bournemouth retook the lead on 76 minutes when they won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Eder Batista’s shot took a deflection on its way towards the goal and this left Eaton rooted to the spot, and he could only watch the ball roll into the net.

Petersfield drew level five minutes later when the ball was played up to the edge of the box, on to the chest of Neal. When it dropped to his feet the striker hit a low shot which keeper Jake Poynter allowed to squirm through his body and the ball rolled over the line.

Two minutes before the end the home side had their chance to take all three points when Walker again got to the byline on the right and his cross to the far post found Kershaw but he could not direct his header on target and the ball drifted wide.

In injury time Bournemouth had a great chance to snatch victory when Hziz Aldhayan broke clear on the right and his pass inside found Batista well placed ten yards out but he put his shot well over the crossbar.

Petersfield: Eaton, Gilbert, Geddes, Tremlett, Plackett, Wycherley, Kershaw, Kendall, J Neal, Walker, Fagelman. Subs not used: Evans, Tayler, Thomas, Collins.