Report by Jools Thomas

And they never established control of this match. Don’t let anyone tell you the swirling wind and driving rain was a hindrance. It was the same for both teams; the difference being the home team coped much better. Despite the Moles twice equalising, they were never comfortable. A cross from the left hand side in the opening moments of the game saw Town’s Joseph Briggs hand higher in the air than any FC defender and he guided an unchallenged header into the bottom corner of the net with FC keeper Matthieu Varnica rooted to the spot. Town then continued to press in the opening stages. Andrew Todd had another decent chance with a header but this time placed the ball wide.

FC’s first decent chance came from Gareth Price. His right sided through ball almost found Brian Haule but ex Mole Anthony Ender in the home goal rushed out to collect. Brian Haule collected another Price cross on 15 minutes and he was unlucky to see his flicked header come off the post.

At the other end, Todd had another header opportunity as FC failed to clear their lines, a common occurrence throughout the afternoon. FC grabbed their first equaliser on 24 minutes. Edd Smith cushioned the ball for Gareth Price and the winger made no mistake hitting a sweet shot from the 18 yard line which gave Ender little chance. Soon afterwards a Briggs free kick could have sneaked in it at the FC right hand post. Up the other end, Aston Goss tried an overhead kick to little effect before Howard Neighbour tested Varnica with a low shot. Edd Smith had a fair 1st half and his good work almost played in Brian Haule for a run on goal.

Most Moles would have been happy to go in to the break level but once again calamitous defending allowed a home winger the freedom of the pitch and he delivered an inch perfect cross for Howard Neighbour to flick home a goal that Jamie Vardy would repeat with uncanny similarity hours later in an England shirt.

Gareth Price hit a testing shot within seconds of the restart before FC grabbed their second equaliser. A weighted through ball found Edd Smith and he had the confidence and skill to lift the ball over the approaching keeper and into the goal’s top corner. With FC plying down the hill and with the wind in their favour, this should have been the impetus to win the game but the home team just wanted it more. Rob Tomlin hit a shot over the bar and then Brian Haule hit a shot wide but in fairness these were just half chances.

Howard Neighbour grabbed the winner with 15 minutes left to play. He was generously allowed to control, aim and fire a shot into the bottom of the corner with Varnica well beaten. Instead of sitting back, Petersfield began to enjoy themselves. Todd broke the off side trap but Varnica reduced the angle giving the home front man just too much to do and the young keeper saved with his feet. Neal Jordan then placed a header wide of the post as Town seemed the more likely to score.

An 87th minute scramble from a corner gave FC their best chance of an equaliser. As a melee ensued, it would have taken just one composed strike from an Aylesbury man to draw the sides’ level. On a day when composure and poise were sadly missing, the chance went begging and Petersfield went on to claim three relatively easy points.