PETERSFIELD head coach James Alder believed his side deserved at least a losing bonus point against United Services Portsmouth.

Alder said: “The lads put in a great shift against the team sitting second in the table.

“There was no difference in class or lack of effort on our part and, looking back, we were effectively hamstrung by the yellow card. I thought we coped well with the conditions, with some good passing movement in the backs and another solid display by our pack. We had some problems at scrum time but also gave as good as we got, which was a huge achievement considering the size of the opposition forwards. This was another fantastic team performance. Hopefully, when they’ve had a chance to put the disappointment behind them, the guys will see their performance as something to be proud of and build on. The reaction of United Services at the end showed their relief.”