PETERSFIELD Town powered back to pole position in the Sydenhams Premier Division by winning the east Hampshire derby clash 5-2 at home to Alresford Town.

Alresford fought back from 2-0 down to level with 17 minutes remaining and looked the likelier winners until a burst of three goals in the last eight minutes propelled the Rams to victory.

Alex Lowley had scored twice for Petersfield in the opening half-hour and Andy Todd had a third ruled out for offside.

But it wasn’t all one-way traffic with Sean Wain having to clear off the line from an Alresford corner before Petersfield survived a couple of goalmouth scrambles.

The Magpies got a foothold in the game when Jack Hoey’s fierce shot was spilled by ’keeper Matt Shortt and Tom Riddell pounced on the rebound to make it 2-1 on the hour.

And by the 73rd minute Alresford were level as Riddell sped onto ’keeper Jarid Hixon’s downfield punt, taking the ball wide before lifting his shot over Shortt from an acute angle. It was Riddell’s third goal in only his second start of the season.

At that stage Petersfield were on the ropes, but a helter-skelter game swayed back their way late on – albeit that they had a large stroke of luck when defender Jamie Ford appeared to be booked for the second time, but wasn’t sent off.

Ed Dryden’s driving run and pull-back enabled sub Ash Howes to back-heel in from close range and, three minutes later, Ian Saunders’ side were 4-2 up when Brad Miles stabbed home amid the mayhem that followed Warren Hunt’s header rebounding off the bar. .

It got worse for Alresford on 90 minutes when Dryden won a midfield tackle and charged forward to the edge of the area. His shot was parried by Hixon and looped up obligingly for Hunt to nod home.

The result sent Petersfield two points clear at the top with a trip to unbeaten Whitchurch United awaiting them tomorrow.