Barton Rovers 8 Petersfield Town 0: PETERSFIELD Town slumped to their biggest defeat of the season so far at play-off chasing Barton on Saturday.

A poor afternoon for the Rams was made worse by the fact they conceded a number of goals in clusters – four in 18 first half minutes and three in 18 second half minutes.

There was no argument about the outcome as some atrocious defending gave the visitors no chance of playing a competitive part in this game.

There were plenty of early warning signs of what was to come for Petersfield. In the seventh minute keeper Matt Collins had to tip a rising shot from Connor Calcutt over the crossbar and four minutes later Scott Sinclair’s shot hit the crossbar and Elliot Bailey smashed the rebound over the top.

The first goal came on 12 minutes when Bailey smashed a low shot past Collins after the Rams’ defence failed to clear the ball on the edge of their own penalty area.

Petersfield had an opportunity at the other end but Ryan Woodford curled a free kick from 25 yards out straight at keeper Kyle Forster. A cross to the far post from Barton saw Danny Watson almost score but he planted his header against a defender and the ball went behind for a corner.

Then came the first half slump. It was 2-0 to the home side on 25 minutes when the ball was played up to the edge of the penalty area and Bailey ran through and hit a low shot into the net.

The third goal came four minutes later when Calcutt got in between two defenders and hit a low bouncing shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Collins prevented a goal when he made a fine one handed save from Bailey’s header but the fourth goal came on 40 minutes when Steve Gentle was left unmarked to power home his header from an inswinging corner.

It was 5-0 three minutes later when a cross from the left was diverted into the net by Jimmy Hartley. Matt Andrews then had an opportunity for Petersfield when he cut in from the left but he curled his cross straight into the hands of Forster.

Petersfield’s goal was still leading a charmed life in the second half although the visitors stemmed the flow of goals until midway through the half.

Collins had to block an effort by Calcutt when he got clear of the defence and Watson missed an open goal when trying to convert the rebound. The Rams’ keeper denied Calcutt again when he tried to tuck home a cross from the right but Collins blocked the shot with his legs.

Goal number six eventually came on 67 minutes when Calcutt tricked everyone with a free kick – he shaped to cross the ball to the far post but instead curled his shot around the wall and into the net at the near post.

The seventh goal came on 81 minutes when Calcutt picked up the ball at the far post and knocked it back across goal for Watson to knock the ball home.

The rout was completed with five minutes remaining when a cross from the right presented Calcutt with a free header and he powered the ball past Collins and into the net.

Petersfield: Collins, Larbi, A Smith, Awford (B Neal), Tucker, Graham, M Smith, Green, Andrews, Woodford, Chunga (Whiteley).