Old Wimbledonians retained their 100 per cent home record with a scrambled victory over newly promoted Petersfield on Saturday.

The hosts made several enforced changes with Robbie Westacott, Ed Connolly and Tom Harwood came in for the missing Tom Wheeler, Matt Jones and Richard Travers in the backs whilst in the pack Tom Jepps returned for Richard Delfino and Rob Bruno completed a front row comprised of three props in the absence of hooker Nick Caplin.

Each deputised more than adequately and the back-row , especially Sam Biss at number six gave the visiting half-backs a torrid time all match.

OWs started brighly but, after 10 minutes, some over-confidence allowed Petersfield to score a converted breakaway try against the run of play.

This success boosted the confidence of the Hampshire outfit who put the home team under enormous pressure, camping in their 22 yard area for some quarter of an hour or so.

Eventually the pressure could be contained no longer and the visitors scored their second try which was not converted giving them a 12-0 lead.

However, the Old Boys were not daunted and the second quarter of the match saw a purple patch of back play with excellent handling and some forceful incursions into the back line from full-back Tom Crone.

After 25 minutes the ball went down the line and some excellent interpassing saw George Attipoe score out on the left following a scintillating sprint for the line.

With just a few minutes to go to the interval a line-out steal by the impressive Craig Starling saw the ball sent down the line and Crone with a strong run forced his way over in the right corner for the ever-reliable James Hodgson to slot a difficult conversion. This gave the home team a slender but deserved 14-12 half-time lead.

In the second half, two successful line-outs to Starling and Matt Bell on the right enabled Hodgson to get the line working over towards the left.

However, a speculative inside pass enabled the Petersfield winger to intercept and run half the length of the pitch to score a try which was converted to encourage the visitors with a five point lead.

Play was end to end with a good supply of the ball won by the hard working home forwards being spun out by the OW revelation Hodgson at No 10, with wingers Attipoe and Paddy Donaghy receiving several passes and opportunities to run.

With 15 minutes remaining another brilliant back move saw Attipoe sprint over once more for an unconverted try to equalise the scores.

With just ten minutes to go the home side were awarded a penalty for a Petersfield forward preventing release of the ball.

This was safely kicked by Hodgson to give the OWs a slender lead which they managed to hang on to until the end.

Starling and Steve Duggan were the pick of the forwards who held their own for 80 minutes and gave the backline plenty of possession to show their paces.

OWs face London South Africa this Saturday.