Petersfield 25 Farnborough 13: PETERSFIELD’S first team celebrated St George’s Day by picking up their second trophy of the year.
Having survived relegation last year, Field’s seniors have blossomed over the course of this season into a well-drilled machine.
They continued in this vein on Sunday, beating a physically imposing Farnborough side to win the Hampshire Plate final and secure a league and cup double.
Field’s match started off badly with Dan Luff turning his ankle in the first contact of the game. However, Farnborough were profligate with their penalties and Field took an early lead through the unerring boot of Josh Haslett.
The lead didn’t last long as Field were penalised from the restart and the visitors took the points on offer to draw level once more.
Halfway through the quarter Field scrum-half Michael Robbins was cleaned out with a cheap shot no-arm tackle as he tapped a quick penalty. The ensuing handbag session led to Field centre Tom Franks joining the original assailant in the sin-bin and a reversal of the penalty. With the line beckoning, the visitors were penalised at a five-metre attacking scrum, allowing Field to clear their lines.
The game continued in stop-start fashion with Field mainly making ground through the penalties conceded by their opponents.
Finally a chance came to break and Jack Glancy ran a diagonal line towards the left wing, dummying a switch with Haslett, before chipping back inside for Seb Tuff to scorch through and score the first try of the match. Haslett added the conversion.
The next try was also furnished by Field, but not before the visitors had missed a penalty kick and seen yellow for a scrum infringement.
Gareth Crane’s run in support of his backs enabled Crane to get on the receiving end of a chip through by Tuff to score the try. The half was ended by a Haslett penalty which took the score to 18-3.
In the third quarter Field conceded costly penalties and cards, allowing Farnborough’s pack to play their driving game to good effect.
Their first try came from a penalty lineout drive, followed by a scrum pushover after Franko Tomic was sin-binned for an infringement at the breakdown.
As the final quarter began, the visitors were once again knocking on the door, only to let Field off the hook with another failed five-metre penalty scrum. Field conceded another penalty, but, once again, solid defence allowed the team to turn over the ball and clear their lines.
A push by Field brought them territory and a penalty and a further yellow card for the visitors. The penalty lineout won, Nick Blumlein fed Tuff at pace and Tuff broke Farnborough tackles as he raced through for the final try. Haslett’s conversion was the last act of the game.