Petersfield picked up an impressive 42-32 bonus-point win at Chichester in South Central Two on Saturday.

The match was Petersfield’s first meeting in league rugby with Chichester.

Petersfield kicked off with the afternoon sun over their right shoulder and within 90 seconds were backpedalling over their tryline, pushed by the aggressive Chichester back row and centres for a try.

Ten minutes later Petersfield fly half and captain Nick Blumlein successfully kicked a penalty awarded for not rolling away. Chichester then scored an unconverted try in the right-hand corner.

At the start of the second quarter Chichester infringed on their ten-metre line and Blumlein secured a further three points.

Petersfield number eight Franco Tomic received a yellow card and was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes. Chichester made the most of their numerical advantage and scored a try to lead 15-6 at half-time.

Petersfield were judged offside early in the second half, and Chichester took an easy three penalty points to go 18-6 ahead.

Six minutes into the second half Chichester scored a converted try to go 25-6 ahead.

Petersfield then kicked a penalty to the left corner, and Tomic made a clean lineout catch and was mauled over the line for an unconverted try to make it 25-11.

Ten minutes later Field drove another maul towards the posts. The referee judged that the maul had been collapsed and gave a yellow card to the hosts and awarded a penalty try to make it 25-18.

Chichester then scored a converted try to lead 32-18.

Petersfield responded positively and Jack Janaway touched down under a heap of Petersfield and Chichester players to score a converted try and make it 32-25.

Petersfield then drove another lineout maul over the line and Karter Whittock scored an unconverted try to make it 32-30.

Petersfield then scored again from another lineout rolling maul when Dan Sargent claimed an unconverted try to put Field 35-32 ahead.

Field’s final try came from another lineout rolling maul. Whittock scored his second try and Blumlein added the conversion to seal the win.

Petersfield’s second team slipped to a 46-10 defeat at Winchester.

By Chris Todd