PETERSFIELD Hockey Club’s ladies’ second team returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory against Romsey Ladies’ third team on Saturday.

The reverse fixture earlier in the season was a very competitive affair which Petersfield were just edged out of in the final stages and lost 2-1.

The first half started with Petersfield on the attack with Debbie Geer feeding Alice Head and Laura Choularton to make a number of driving runs down the left wing, pushing the ball into Ashleigh Keech to the D to shoot at goal.

In previous games, the opposition have then come back into the game after the first ten minutes, but Petersfield sustained the pressure and had a series of short corners, and Romsey had to make last-gasp goal line clearances from shots by Zoe Simmonds and Laura Choularton.

Petersfield deserved their lead on 16 minutes with a ball well passed around the D which fell to Keech, who hit a bouncing ball towards the goal. The ball bounced over the keeper’s foot and into the net.

As the half went on Romsey started to come into the game and forced the Petersfield defence into a number of critical clearances. None more so than from Belinda Jones, whose clearance stopped a Romsey attacker who would have been clear through on goal.

The half ended with Petersfield 1-0 up, and the second half was even more free flowing. There were opportunities at both ends, but Petersfield played the better hockey.

The home side went 2-0 up after a short corner, which was initially cleared by Romsey, was pushed back in by Keech to Simmonds, who hit a hard shot to the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

Romsey went on the attack and found an attacker unmarked on the penalty spot. While the Petersfield defence were able to close her down, she was able to turn and push the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal past a diving Carys Pearson.

In previous games this may have meant Petersfield possibly losing the momentum and losing the game, but this time they kept their composure. Weaving runs from Beth De Lotbinere and raking balls from Lauren Preston to Simmonds and Choularton meant more chances for Petersfield as Romsey committed more players forward.

At 2-1 there could have been nerves but these were short lived after Keech played a good cross from the right-hand side to Choularton at the back post who, after seeing her first two shots saved, forced the ball over the line to make it 3-1.

Romsey finished the game on the attack. Firstly Joanne Jones had to make a critical tackle when Romsey had a three-on-two in attack, and then Romsey had five short corners in a row in the last two minutes. Keech also found herself on the sidelines at the end of the game nursing a bruise to the forehead, having got a nasty stick to the head while closing Romsey down in their own half to take the pressure off the Petersfield defence.

Petersfield Ladies’ second team now sit four points above the relegation zone with four games to go, which includes a game in hand on the team below them.