Petersfield Town 2 Bedford Town 3: THE SCORELINE suggests this was a tight match on Saturday but it was anything but that, with Petersfield Town putting on a real first half horror show on their way to another defeat.

Bedford could easily have found themselves 10-0 up at the half time interval and although the Rams pulled two goals back in the second 45 minutes, they did not deserve to take anything from this match.

Petersfield were up against it from the off when they fell behind after just five minutes. The ball was clipped in behind the home defence and Ben Sawyer picked up the pass, drove forward and then fired home his shot off the post.

The visitors were awarded a penalty five minutes later when Lee Roache was brought down inside the box as he shaped to shoot but Andrew Phillips fired his spot kick wide of the target.

Bedford continually opened up the home defence with the simplest of through balls down the middle of the pitch and Phillips got clear once again and forced keeper Lewis Watch into making a full length diving save to his left. The loose ball was tucked home from close range but the linesman’s flag was already raised for offside.

The visitors had another goal disallowed for offside on 25 minutes when Phillips was again put clean through. He took the ball past Watch inside the penalty area but for some reason he decided to pass to Roache, who was in an offside position and the visitors were left frustrated again with the view of the linesman’s raised flag.

It didn’t get any better as the half wore on for Petersfield – they just couldn’t keep hold of the ball up front, they were winning nothing in midfield and the defence was being opened up at will by the visitors.

On the half hour mark Roache had another good chance to score when he was put clear and as Watch raced off his line he chipped the ball over the keeper but the ball bounced well wide.

The second goal came on 36 minutes when a free kick from 25 yards out was played straight down the middle and Roache brushed aside his marker before ramming the ball home into the net.

Two minutes later Petersfield almost set up another goal for Bedford when four attempted clearances went backwards inside the penalty area and Phillips headed the ball against the crossbar from three yards out.

The third goal came on the stroke of half time when a corner from the left found Jemale McKenzie-Lowe completely unmarked in front of goal and he headed the ball home.

The shell-shocked home side finally had their first real chance of the match on 50 minutes when a quick free kick was floated towards the far post and Luke Edwards’ header had to be pushed behind by keeper Enol Ordonez-Suarez for a corner.

On the hour mark Petersfield went close again when Edwards had a free header from a corner and it was deflected just over the crossbar.

The Rams got their first goal on 64 minutes when Max Smith got clear down the right before pulling the ball back to Billy Connor, who was chopped down inside the penalty area. Ryan Woodford sent Ordonez-Suarez diving the wrong way with his spot kick.

The visitors threatened to increase their lead further throughout the second half and on 67 minutes Chris Marsh drove forward straight down the middle of the pitch before having a shot charged down but the loose ball ran to substitute Nathan Tshikuna, who flashed his shot just over the bar.

Tshikuna then forced Watch to push his shot over from 15 yards out before Petersfield scored their second goal in the second minute of injury time. Stuart Green nodded the ball on into the path of Smith, who was then brought down as he pushed forward into the penalty area. Connor sent Ordonez-Suarez the wrong way with his penalty.

Petersfield: Watch, Cooper, Graham, Green, Edwards, Wycherley, Smith, Woodford (Chunga), Andrews (Davies), Connor, Cripps (Tee). Subs not used: Codling, Agwuegbo.