Petersfield 28 Millbrook 17: PETERSFIELD missed out on a winning bonus point as they laboured to victory against plucky Millbrook.

Having started brightly with a penalty kicked by Nick Blumlein after just three minutes, Field found themselves penned in their own half by the visitors.

As the first quarter ended, Millbrook finally converted a scoring opportunity, driving over in the right-hand corner after rumbling through a series of phases inside the 22. The conversion, from the right touchline, was a fine effort, earning the extras.

From the restart, Field worked to get themselves back in the game but found little headway until they managed to string together a good passing movement at pace. The ball ended up with Jordan Allan, who broke one tackle and then simply slalomed his way around a few more defenders before crossing the whitewash and jogging infield to dot down under the posts. Blumlein added the easy extras.

Field had retaken the lead but not done anything to quell Millbrook’s spirit, and the visitors re-established their camp in Field’s half.

Millbrook attempted an abortive drop-goal which gifted Field the ball and a chance to clear their lines. Minutes later, with Field pressing, Blumlein showed how it’s done as he coolly dropped a goal of his own.

The arm wrestle continued with play ebbing and flowing between the 22s. Millbrook drew next blood with a penalty in the final ten minutes of the half, only for it to be cancelled out by a Field penalty to bring the half to a close at 16-10.

Field were quicker out of the blocks at the start of the second half, setting Jay Bremner free on the left wing for a storming run into the corner with a minute on the clock. The extras squeaked just outside the left-hand post.

Despite having the lion’s share of territory and possession in the second half, Field failed to add another score during the third quarter, let down by a lack of precision at the vital moment.

Thanks to an increasing penalty count, Field facilitated a spirited fightback by Millbrook halfway through the final quarter. The gifts of territory and Field’s failure to clear their lines decisively resulted in the visitors scoring their second try in a similar manner to the first. Once again, an apparently daunting kick from wide on the right was expertly smacked through the posts to bring the visitors to within four points.

Field regathered themselves and went back to the task of pressuring the Millbrook line from inside the visitors’ 22. As attack after attack was repulsed, the clock ticked down. It appeared the sides had worked themselves into a stalemate, but there was more drama to come in the final five minutes. With Field once again building in the Millbrook 22, their youthful and useful scrum-half was poleaxed at the base of a ruck by a defender barrelling through offside. Fortunately, the youngster was able to see out the match after extensive treatment. The wrongdoer received a yellow card.

Field failed to benefit immediately as Blumlein missed the penalty. However, the red team continued to ramp up the pressure. Finally, an inside ball from Blumlein to Allan, coming off his wing to the centre of the pitch, allowed the right winger to bust through a rapidly closing gap to score under the posts.

Blumlein’s conversion capped a performance Field will not want to repeat on Saturday when they host high-flying Alton.