Petersfield 0 Bognor 41: PETERSFIELD’S match against Bognor on Saturday appeared to be a big mismatch on paper, and so it proved.

The difference between the two sides is marked; the weekend’s result put the visitors second in the table, only trailing leaders Millbrook due to a weaker points scored record – while Field remain fixed in the relegation zone just above bottom-placed Locks Heath.

Field battled hard but were undone by a much better drilled side, playing with the confidence that comes from challenging for the title – albeit Saturday’s win was a return to form for Bognor who had lost their previous two games, one either side of Christmas. Thanks to the pack, Field gained their fair share of possession during the match, along with a reasonable slice of territory, but could not execute well enough to turn this into points. The visitors, meanwhile, were somewhat profligate in their attacks and should have scored more but for a lack of clinical execution and, perhaps, a dash of white-line fever.

As they have done for most of the season, Field’s forwards acquitted themselves well and put in another good scrummaging display. However, when the visitors’ hooker was sidelined early in the last quarter the scrums became uncontested and Field were robbed of the one area where they looked like they might force an advantage.

Next week, the first team travel to Locks Heath to play a fixture postponed from mid-December. This will be the first meeting of the season between the two sides and Field will likely need to win both games to help ensure that they remain above Locks Heath at the end of the season.