There appeared to be two Lingfield teams in action this week. A lacklustre one showing little of the form that was worth a point at Newhaven took the frosty field at Loxwood and were behind to one of those looping cross cum shots at half time when the referee decided it was now frosty enough to abandon the game. And then the one last night that was full of fire, working hard for each other and showing why they beat second placed Haywards Heath Town last time out at Whyteleafe. It was up to Petersfield Town to justify why they are in the mix for the play offs but they were never in control of game as The Lingers fought hard to disrupt their possession and they were not able to take the chances they did get. An error in defence gifted the ball to Gus Ward to give us the lead at half time. Pushing up for a corner left us open to a fast break when the ball was lost and they had men spare when the ball was squeezed home for the equaliser. Having survived a period of pressure with fifteen minutes left Jack McDonnell fired in the winner from the edge of the box.

The visitors had the first chance inside five minutes when they played through our defence too easily on the right and fired a shot across the goal and off the left post. A warning given that they had put six past Shoreham recently. A David Heaton free kick from the left a few minutes later found the head of Ousmane Balde Dansoko on the right of the box but his header was off target. On 11mins their central defender lost his bearings and rolled the ball to Gus Ward who took full advantage to step forward and shoot home for 1-0. A few minutes after scoring, Ward was found on the right and had a shot from the byline that fizzed through the six yard box. Past the quarter hour and the ball was being worked around the edge of the Petersfield box from right to left. Conor Wilford put the ball into the box and then got it back for another go. The clearance found McDonnell who slid it to Jimmy Williams for a cross from the right that was deflected behind. The corner was straight into the hands of their imposing goalkeeper.

Petersfield were on a break down the right just after we entered the second part of the half. The cross went through our box and was laid back for a shot that went wide of the right post. On 26mins they had the ball in a central position and fired in a shot that was a comfortable take for Sammie Saward. Minutes later they had won a corner from the left and the ball found a player in the centre of the box clear to head on goal only for Saward to save. The rebound was not cleared and Petersfield had a shot was saved by Saward again. From a throw into their box on the half hour, we lost possession and Petersfield were away downfield on the left but Prince Aderogba was in pursuit and made a superb tackle to put the ball behind. The resulting corner was straight into Saward's arms. Three minutes later it was our turn to break as Ward went down the centre and played it left to Balde Dansoko who was well tackled.

Inside the last ten minutes and Heaton found a scrap of space in the centre to have a shot but he could not generate the power to trouble the keeper. With three minutes of normal time remaining, a cross from Abu Abubakari on the left into the box came out to McDonnell who laid it back to Wilford. His shot drifted narrowly wide of the right post with the keeper beaten. We had the ball back again around their box and McDonnell had space for a shot that flew over the bar. With five added minutes following a couple of injuries, Petersfield finished with a spurt. A break forward was met with some solid blocks before Aderogba got in a clearing challenge. In the fourth added minute, they were breaking down the left but Aderogba delayed them and Haydn Dickinson was able to ping the ball off their player for a goal kick. Half time and two even sides just separated by Ward's goal from their error.

Five minutes into the second half and Aderogba was sold short on a pass and forced to concede a foul just beyond the D. The free kick was straight to Saward. On 52mins Williams played through McDonnell on the right for a good cross for Ward to challenge for and win a corner. Nothing came of the corner. Minutes later Ward was onto a free kick down the left and was in on the keeper but he blocked well. On 57mins Balde Dansoko was driving into the box and drew a save from the keeper at the expense of a corner. From our corner Petersfield were able to break swiftly and with an overload of players were able to find a player clear on the right. His shot just beat Saward's fingertips at the foot of the left post and on 58mins it was 1-1.

Richie Wetton came on for Balde Dansoko on 61mins and a second change on 67mins saw Williams replaced by Chace Hanmer for his first appearance since being injured. Petersfield had seen a lot of the ball and were probing but our defence was holding firm. On 68mins Wetton had the chance to launch a long throw into their box but they dealt with it. McDonnell was given a ball to chase down the right and won a corner for his efforts. The corner was delivered but the referee saw a shirt pull in Petersfield favour. On73mins Ward took the ball into their box on the left and turned. He was challenged and went down but nothing was given. The ball found its way back to Abubakari but he leaned back as he shot and it went over the bar. Back with the ball a minute later and Wetton had the ball on the left. He cut in and fired in a shot. The keeper couldn't hold it and Ward followed up. His attempt rebounded out to McDonnell on the right of the box who drove the ball home for 2-1.

Inside the last fifteen minutes and Petersfield were pushing for the equaliser and with calmness Dickinson headed a looped ball into our box back to Saward. Ward had run himself into the ground and was replaced by Ruebuan Zamorano on 83mins. A last chance for us came from a free kick on the left taken by Wilford over to McDonnell on the right. He set up Zamorano for a shot that was blocked. With the clock ticking down the lads used up time with possession in the corner and by winning the odd foul. After three added minutes the final whistle came for another well earnt 2-1 win.

We are still in sixteenth place in the table after the Saturday games. The gap to Shoreham has opened up to five points after their defeat at Newhaven and we have a game in hand. Saltdean United lost at home by the odd goal in five to Haywards Heath Town while Little Common won by the only goal against Loxwood. Little Common have found some form and are now bottom only on goal difference from Saltdean having both played 29 games. Loxwood are three points ahead also on 29 games but on a run of six defeats in a row and just two points from eight games. Having caught Horsham YMCA on points yesterday, they edged a point ahead of us after a goalless draw with Bexhill United but have played a game more. With Pagham winning at Roffey, AFC Varndeanians losing at Peacehaven and Wick not playing until Tuesday we are just four points off twelfth place which is quite an improvement compared to nineteenth place when we visited Petersfield. We visit our neighbours Crawley Down Gatwick next Saturday after their midweek visit to Wick and we follow this with a trip to Roffey who have taken a dip in form recently.