Millbrook 55 Petersfield 0: PETERSFIELD’S first team travelled to Southampton on Saturday to take on Millbrook who, along with Bognor, are chasing Fareham Heathens hard for the league title and promotion.

When the two teams met at the start of November, Millbrook squeaked a win by just five points in a match that could have seen the home side victorious. Since then Millbrook have gone on to win comfortably in most of their matches, garnering bonus-points in all bar one of their wins. Field, meanwhile, have been in the doldrums, lifted somewhat last week by their narrow win at fellow strugglers Locks Heath Pumas.

Injury and absence forced coach Andy Patience to dig deeply into the club’s player pool. Fortunately the second team are on a mini-break from their league and were able to provide players to fill half of the squad – stand-off Alex Groves apparently snaffled at the last minute as he prepared to travel with the veterans for their match at Alton.

Despite being in essence a scratch side, Field battled gamely throughout the match. The visitors attempted to play a tight game to deny ball to the opposition and a great deal of the play took place around midfield. However, Field had no answer whenever the match opened up and the well-drilled Millbrook side were able to spin the ball wide to take advantage of the overlaps.

With so many changes to the pack, it was a wonder that Field were able to compete in the set piece but they did so admirably with the scrum growing in power as the match progressed. Jon Cole and James Coombes-Excell put in solid performances as they joined the ever present Dan Luff in the front row. The lineout took a little longer to settle down but when it did, Field’s catch and drive worked well, gaining the side large amounts of territory. Second team regulars, Franko Tomic and Harley Orr joined captain Gareth Crane in the backrow and caught the eye once more; the former displaying the same aerial skills in the line-out that we’ve come to expect from Alex Patience and the latter with some impressive carries into the resolute Millbrook defence.

With the game plan set for them, Field’s backline were virtually reduced to living on scraps, but they generally coped well and, to a man, put in the work to try to deny the Millbrook attack. One bright spot on the day was the return to the backs of Gareth MacGillivray who suffered a dislocated elbow within five minutes of Field’s first league game of the season.

Millbrook had the game won by half time with three tries and a penalty and continued to take their chances to pile on the points with a further five tries in the second half.

The result keeps Millbrook within a point of league leaders Fareham Heathens, and Field remain one place above the bottom.

Field do not play again until Saturday, March 5, when they meet the Isle of Wight at Penns Place, the first of five matches to take Field to the end of the season.

Whilst the first team were struggling in Southampton, the veterans continued their 100 per cent winning record with an away victory against the Alton Masters, 31-3.