Baffins Milton Rovers 3 Petersfield Town 0: PETERSFIELD were given another lesson in what you need to maintain your Wessex Premier Division status in this defeat at Baffins Milton Rovers on Saturday.

The Rams’ game management skills have been sadly lacking for much of the season and this deficiency in their character showed itself again during this encounter.

It is having the ability to get yourself into a match winning situation and once there ensuring that opportunity doesn’t slip from your grasp which Petersfield have struggled with for much of the campaign.

In this game, Baffins showed their game management skills to good effect while Petersfield could argue they got themselves into the right position but simply could not execute the game management skills required to get anything from this game.

The scores remained level until the 39th minute and, before the home side took the lead, the visitors had opportunities to get their noses in front but these weren’t taken at the opportune moments which could have led to a different outcome.

Petersfield keeper Luke Eaton had to make a sharp save after only six minutes, from an opportunity which came for the home side after a series of corners.

Ashton Leigh had a shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area and Eaton got down low to his right to push the ball away from goal.

The Rams should have taken the lead on 10 minutes when they seized possession in midfield. Will Essai fed the ball inside to Harry Tremlett, who got clear of the home defence but keeper Tony Male raced off his line to block the Petersfield midfielder’s goalbound shot.

Five minutes later Baffins went close to scoring again when a corner from the left was hit back across goal and Tyler Yates’ overhead kick only just cleared the crossbar.

Petersfield went close to scoring again on 23 minutes when they won a free kick on the right hand edge of the box after Billy Connor had been brought down. Luke Kendall’s free kick clipped the end of the defensive wall but the deflection took the ball straight into the gloves of Male at his near post.

Baffins took the lead after 38 minutes from a corner on the right. Tommy Leigh’s free header on goal was partially blocked on the line but in their attempts to clear the ball, a defender appeared to knock it back towards his own net.

However it went in, the goal was given by the linesman who was flagging to indicate the ball had crossed the line.

All the positives of the first half for Petersfield soon evaporated during the second period as the visitors put in a poor display.

Baffins doubled their lead five minutes after the re-start when Fadel Seibou received the ball on the right wing and his inch perfect cross picked out the run of Jordan Neal who flicked the ball home from close range.

Five minutes later the home side went close to scoring again when Freeman Williams received the ball on the left before cutting inside the penalty area and unleashing a shot which Olly Kershaw had to hack away for a corner.

Baffins got their third on 65 minutes when a corner from the left was partially cleared to the edge of the box by the Rams’ defence. Jamie White hit a shot which appeared to be going well wide until it hit Ed Plackett and the deflection saw the ball fly into the net.

The game drifted slowly on from this point with the home side comfortably in command. Callum Dart’s audacious chip attempt from 25 yards on 78 minutes was easily held by Eaton and four minutes before the end Blu Boam’s rising shot just cleared the crossbar.

In injury time, Gavin Keogh appeared to race clear behind the home defence and he had his effort on goal blocked by Male but the lineman’s flag was already raised for offside.

Petersfield: Eaton, Plackett, Kershaw, Kennedy, Llewelyn, Geddes, W Essai (Gouge), Kendall (Fagelman), Tremlett, Connor (J Balogun), Keogh. Sub not used: Collins.