Basingstoke II 4 Petersfield 1: PETERSFIELD hoped to continue their unbeaten start to the season as they travelled to Basingstoke.
The visitors started well, but Basingstoke were a well-drilled machine.
Grey, Grinstead and Hind worked hard in the midfield as they tried to control the pace of the game, with J Atkinson, Harris and Lane making some good cutting moves through the Basingstoke defence.
Petersfield’s defence battled hard to keep Basingstoke’s front line at bay, but the hosts were awarded a penalty corner.
After a well-worked corner, Basingstoke slipped an unstoppable effort past Smith to take the lead.
Basingstoke were then awarded another short corner just before the end of the first half. Another well-worked corner led to an angled deflection that caught Petersfield’s defence off guard, and the hosts scored again to go 2-0 up.
After the break Clay was carded for a strong challenge and was sent to the sin bin.
Petersfield battled hard, but Basingstoke caught the visitors on the counter twice in quick succession and scored two open play goals to go 4-0 up.
Petersfield responded well and were awarded two short corners, but the visitors were unable to convert their opportunities.
The breakthrough came late on when J Atkinson linked up with Harris and worked his way through the D. J Atkinson then brought the ball to his left side and hit the ball into the top right-hand corner of the goal.