The annual Andy Millar Cup match at Petersfield Rugby Club saw the Gowns beat the Town team 43-29.

The Town team – drawn from Petersfield’s senior players – met the Gowns, a team selected from players returning to the area for the festive season.

Gown ran out winners in an entertaining match in which the combined relative youth of the winning team held sway in fitness and skills. Gown, after a rapid start were the first to post an unconverted try, with Town replying, through their pack, with their own unconverted try all within the first ten minutes.

Gown soon settled into the match, scoring two tries in quick succession from inside their own 22 where good passes and rapid progress saw them outrun the Town defence. A poor restart by Town had them back-pedalling in defence for Gown to break through and score a converted try under the posts to go 24-5 ahead.

A pinpoint restart by Town had the ball drop into the five-metre channel just beyond the ten-metre line and was passed back to the fly half who launched a kick pass to the opposite wing where the winger streaked through unopposed to score an unconverted try to put Town back on the scoreboard.

Gown’s response was to score a further converted try before half-time, with the score now 31-10.

The second half was a more even affair with Gown posting an additional 12 points with Town in the ascendancy and winning the second half by scoring 19 points.

The large crowd of touchline and balcony support of families and friends added to the festival atmosphere at one of the best attended matches for several years. The cup was presented to the Gown team by Celia Millar, sponsor of the trophy and widow of Andy Millar.

By Chris Todd