Petersfield 15 – 32 Winchester

Winchester Rugby Club’s Men’s first team travelled to Petersfield on Saturday and won 15-32 with a four-try league bonus point. Combined with Farnham’s defeat of Tottonians, this moved Winchester up to third in the RFU’s Central South 2 league writes Tim Fell.

Coach Gaz Martin praised debutant winger Gareth Schreuder, who scored one of the tries, and 18-year-old loose-head prop Sheldon McEwan, who packed down against Petersfield’s Dan Sargent, until recently a professional player.

Petersfield opened the scoring with a penalty by their fly-half Nicholas Blumlein, but 10 minutes later Winchester’s full-back Tommy Hare made it 3-3 with another penalty. Then came a try for Winchester scrum-half Tom Fieldsend, Hare’s conversion from wide out failed, and Winchester were in the lead 3 - 8.

Winchester’s lead was against the run of play, as they suffered in the lineout from Petersfield’s 6’ 10” lock Matt Momber and were pushed back in the set scrums by Petersfield’s much heavier pack.

Petersfield were quick to answer Winchester’s lead with a converted catch-and-drive try from a lineout close to the Winchester line, taking the lead at 10-8.

Another Hare penalty made the half-time score 10 – 11 to Winchester.

Whatever coach Martin said to the Winchester XV at half time clearly had an effect, because they started the second half with renewed energy, and it took Winchester only four minutes of the second half to take the lead back with Schreuder’s try, converted by Hare: 10 - 18 to Winchester.

But Petersfield kept at it, with an unconverted try making it 15 -18 to Winchester.

By this time the Petersfield players were tiring, and Winchester’s superior fitness was evident, with their forwards winning the set pieces, captain and second-row Matt Golding making ground with bullocking runs in attack and their backs enjoying the open spaces. Outside centre and vice-captain Jake Hiscock touched down close to Petersfield’s posts; Hare’s conversion made it 15-25 to Winchester.

With three minutes to go, Winchester’s fly-half Josh Tolan intercepted a Petersfield pass and touched down for the bonus-point try. Winchester had won 15 - 32 without using their substitutes.

The first half of the season finishes as Winchester hosts Chichester at home on Saturday, December 7.