Petersfield 2nd XV 32 US Portsmouth 2nd XV 22: PETERSFIELD’S second team got off to the worst possible start as US Portsmouth took the lead after a minute.

Field responded when Alex Groves crashed over. Jameson added the extras to gain the lead for the hosts.

Petersfield scored their second try when the visitors committed too many players to the breakdown and the ball was spun wide to the left touchline where Charlie Matthews crossed the line.

The visitors responded when they breached Field’s defence to bring the game to within two points. A front-row injury for Field then led to an uncontested set piece. The visitors made use of this to launch a back-row move that carved through the defence for their third try.

Field started the second half on the front foot and the visitors conceded a penalty which was quickly taken by the hosts and powerfully finished by Sam Lucas.

Within a couple of minutes the visitors were awarded a penalty try for a defender pulling back an attacker as he chased a chip through to the line. Parity was restored halfway through the third quarter when Dan Giles received another quickly taken penalty before going past the defence for a try on the left wing.

Dan Marsh then made the decisive breakthrough, bursting through the defence massed on the try-line to score Field’s fifth try.

Petersfield sealed the win when Groves put in a strong run to draw the defence and set Matthews through for his second try.