Petersfield Town 0 Team Solent 3: PETERSFIELD were unable to record back to back home league wins after slipping to defeat against Team Solent on Saturday.

The Rams were looking to follow up their triumph against Cowes Sports with another three points on a bitterly cold afternoon.

They started brightly and had they taken their chances in the opening exchanges it could have been a different afternoon for them – but ultimately they paid the penalty for a missed penalty and going close with a handful of other chances which didn’t go in.

The home side won a penalty on five minutes after the ball was worked forward down the left and into the box where Billy Connor was waiting for it. He was sent tumbling for the penalty but Luke Kendall’s spot kick was easily saved when keeper Bradley Banda dived to his right.

A minute later Petersfield went close again. Danny Thompson picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch after a corner was partially cleared and dinked the perfect pass over the defence to Jordan Geddes.

The defender side stepped a challenge and then sent his shot across goal from a tight angle but it hit the outside of the far post and bounced to safety.

The visitors took the lead on 18 minutes with their first attack of note on the Petersfield goal. As the ball was crossed into the box from the right the home defence had switched off momentarily and could only watch as the ball was flicked back across goal at the far post and Julian Stahler applied the finishing touch from close range.

Petersfield thought they had equalised on 26 minutes when Ryan Kennedy beat Banda to a corner from the left and he knocked the ball towards the goal but the visitors somehow managed to hook the ball away off the line.

As the home side cursed their luck, Team Solent broke quickly forward and a cross into the box was headed back across goal by Hisham Kasimu and Jemaal Wiseman’s first time shot only just cleared the target.

Ryan Dacres-Smith’s snap shot went narrowly wide after Petersfield failed to clear their lines properly following a corner and at the other end a cross from the left found Kendall on the far side of the box but his half volley was easily gathered up by Banda.

Team Solent doubled their lead five minutes before half time when the home defence was caught napping again. The ball was crossed to the far post from the right and as Ed Plackett tried to watch it go out an attacker got in behind him to hook the ball back across goal and Jim Orvis headed the ball home from under the crossbar.

Chances were few and far between during the second half and while Petersfield enjoyed plenty of possession in Team Solent’s half of the field they were unable to create the openings to get themselves back into the game.

Harry Tremlett tried to force his way through on goal and after riding two challenges he unfortunately knocked the ball too far in front of him before he could get a shot off.

Team Solent scored their third goal on 65 minutes when a ball over the top was not picked up by the home defence. Kasimu latched on to it and as Rams keeper Luke Eaton tried to race from his line to deal with the danger the visiting striker shot low across him and into the far corner.

Team Solent had two late chances to stretch their lead further. With two minutes remaining Kasimu won possession of the ball inside the box and his cross found substitute Tyrell Mitford but he put his free header in front of goal just over the top.

With the game in injury time, Kasimu used his strength to chase down a long clearance up the pitch and knock a defender out of his path. He raced into the penalty area but Eaton quickly came off his line to be able to block the Team Solent striker’s shot at close range.

Petersfield: Eaton, Plackett, Kershaw, Thompson, Llewelyn, Geddes, Kendall (Keogh), Kennedy, Connor, Tremlett, Holford (Giles). Subs not used: Thomas, Collins.