Petersfield 17 Tottonians 15 – report

by Richard Isaacs | Sep 8, 2025 | Senior Rugby

Tottonians slipped to a season opening league game defeat for the first time since 2019 as they put in a tepid performance to go down narrowly 17-15 to county rivals Petersfield on a warm afternoon at Penns Place.

PETERSFIELD 17 TOTTONIANS 15
Penns Place, Petersfield
Saturday 6th September 2025
Regional 2 South Central – match 1

It wasn’t so much the manner of the defeat but the way that Tottonians didn’t take plentiful opportunities presented to them by an erroneous Petersfield side who won the penalty count considerably but still managed to take the spoils at full time.

On a surprisingly lush, green pitch – obviously must have a very different climate in north Hampshire – Tottonians kicked off playing up the slight incline and against the blustery wind. And, for the first 50 seconds of the contest, Petersfield didn’t have their hands on the ball.

But the home side were the first team to score as centre Toby Colwood intercepted a pass in midfield and scooted under the posts, giving Matt McLean the easiest conversion and a 7-0 lead.

This didn’t deter the visitors as they set about repairing the early damage. Following a heavy period of pressure, with Petersfield regularly being pinged for penalties as they defended their line, which did see prop Jackson Clark sinbinned, their defensive line held firm to repel the drives from the forwards – although Tom Gregory was unfortunate not to have his effort rewarded as he got up from the base of the maul with the ball on the line but it wasn’t seen.

The pressure was eased momentarily as Totts were penalised for holding on but McLean’s poor penalty clearance didn’t find touch. It allowed the visitors to pour forward and it was George Hixon that broke clear down the right to run in unopposed to cut the arrears to 7-5.

In what was a fairly even contest, the home side were next on the scoreboard just before the half hour as Totts lost their shape in defence and it allowed debutant winger Lewis Munt space out wide on the left to sprint to the line, although there was more than a hint of a forward pass which went unnoticed.

The sides were to go into the half-time break level though and it was in no small measure down to some quick thinking and clever play from fly-half Hixon.

Totts were awarded a penalty in the middle of the pitch on half-way. Hixon shaped the kick to the right hand touch and, with the Petersfield side all on that side, Hixon took a tap with scrum-half Harry Dolbear for support. Dolbear sliced through and found his half-back colleague who posted his second of the afternoon and the conversion to tie the scores at 12-12 at the interval.

With the wind and the slope to their advantage in the second half, there was plenty of encouragement going in with the scores tied.

A Hixon penalty after just two minutes of the second half put Totts ahead for the first time but the lead lasted only four minutes when, from a good line-out and attack, veteran county number 8 Liam Perkins charged over to give his side the lead once more.

With over half an hour of the game left, there was plenty still to give but multiple errors in attack cost the visitors dearly, leaving the coaches frustrated and even Hixon’s long range penalty with two minutes to play sailed wide.

There was even one final opportunity deep into injury time when, on their own line, Petersfield had a player sinbinned and Totts were awarded a penalty five metres out but they still weren’t able to find a way through and the final whistle blew on a 17-15 reverse.

Coach Nick Osman cut a dispondant figure at full time. “We put a few phases together but work rate and desire weren’t enough against what was a poor team.

“To give a try away after 40 seconds, get away with 12-12 at halftime, then play with a huge wind in the second half and only score a penalty is not acceptable. With that wind, not to score for 38 minutes is extraordinarily poor.”

He continued, “We weren’t at the right level in most parts of our game, which is a tough one to explain. We weren’t intense enough, not enough desire and poor game management. A lot of things that should be a given.

“I think there will be some major soul searching from players and coaches needed, and with the depth we’re developing, I suspect changes.”

TOTTONIANS POINT SCORERS:
2 tries – George Hixon
1 conversion – George Hixon
1 penalty – George Hixon

PLAYER OF THE MATCH ALEX ROBINSON alongside CONNOR ANDREWS REVIEW THE GAME