Looking to bounce back after losing to Marlow in their rearranged league match on Wednesday, with matches coming thick and fast manager Glyn Creaser rotated his squad, with Jordon Frederick, Josh Baines, Bruno Brito and Ollie Hogg replacing Sonny French, Olly Stanbridge, Troy Witter and Lea Coulter.

Playing in a 4-4-2 formation, the Ducks were in the ascendancy from the start. Against opponents who are struggling in the league, but on a high after beating Aylesbury FC last week for their first away win of the season, the home side were quick out of the blocks, with Reece Cameron playing wide on the left finding Bruno Brito in the centre, however the striker’s speculative shot was straight at George Hill, who made a comfortable save. A free kick from Ollie Hogg found Ryan Kinnane at the far post, but his header was again too close to Hill to cause alarm. On 12 minutes, Preston Tee crossed from the right wing, but Alex Miroy could only get a glancing header in, which flew wide of the far post. Tee was again in the action 5 minutes later, this time his cross found Matt Andrews, who despite getting in front of Kinnane, could only direct his header straight at Zaki Oualah in the home goal. Shortly afterwards, Andrews had another good opportunity to open the scoring; this time he met a cross from Alex Whittingham, but skipper Jack Wood got in a blocking challenge, diverting the ball to Oualah for a comfortable save. The Ducks took the lead in the 25th minute. A good passing move found Taylor Collins on the left flank, whose dangerous cross into the centre saw Brito ghosting in to convert a sharp half volley beyond Hill into the far corner. 1-0 Aylesbury

The lead was to last just 8 minutes, as a corner from the left by Miroy was met by Kinnane, who was horrified to see the ball fly off his head at an odd angle and beyond a stranded Oualah for the equaliser. 1-1

Straight from the restart, Jonny Miller sent a ball forward which found Cameron. Following a challenge from a Rams defender, the ball fell kindly to Jake Bewley, but his snap shot from 25 yards flew wide of the far post. Just one minute later, a good cross from Jordon Frederick found its way to Brito, who juggled the ball and went for a trademark volley, which narrowly cleared the cross bar with Hill beaten. Not to be outdone, Cameron was next to try his luck. A good passing move involving Josh Baines and Frederick saw Bewley’s cross headed into the path of Cameron by Brito, but again his volley cleared the bar. The final action of the half saw Petersfield unlucky not to take the lead. Harry Wedlake picked up the ball in midfield, advanced without challenge and fired a shot from 25 yards which beat Oualah but crashed off the bar into the path of Andrews, who fortunately for the Ducks was adjudged offside.

Half-time: Aylesbury 1-1 Petersfield

The first action of the second half saw Brito pass to Cameron. He turned sharply and got a shot away which Hill did well to save at the near post. Just past the hour mark, Ollie Hogg picked out the overlapping Bewley, whose cross was met by Baines, who took a touch too many and saw his shot blocked by a defender. A worrying moment saw Ryan Kinnane go down holding his ankle after blocking a shot. After treatment he carried on, but was soon replaced by Greg Williams, the leader taking his place at centre back. With 10 minutes remaining, Rams skipper Whittingham did well down the left and cut inside Jack Wood, only to see his shot fly across goal and out for a goal kick. On 85 minutes, the lively Sonny French, on as a substitute for Baines, beat 2 men on the left and pulled the ball back to Brito; however, again the striker couldn’t keep the ball down and it sailed over the bar. With the game deep into added on time, Petersfield had a golden chance to take all 3 points. A suspiciously offside looking Oliver Sturt got free down the right flank and crossed hard and low across the goal area, where an unmarked Whittingham was just unable to get a touch on the ball.

A better performance from the Ducks than Wednesday night’s showing, but again another home match without a win. Next up is a trip to Fleet Town on Tuesday evening, and a chance to add more away points to the total.