Rams hoping cup tie weathers the storm

With heavy rain forecast throughout the day, the chances of the fixture at Hurn Bridge going ahead seem as remote as getting a week of dry weather at the moment.

Last Wednesday the game was called off due to a frozen pitch, and with conditions under foot still very damp, it seems likely the weather may beat Petersfield again to force another postponement.

If events do go this way, it will be a shame for the Rams as they are in fine form going into their trip at Christchurch.

They have won their past five matches in a row and produced their best performance of the season to beat Royston Town in the Southern League at the weekend.

‘We really are on a roll at the moment and everyone is buzzing after the way we played on Saturday,’ said manager Ian Saunders.

‘We seem to have got some of our old spirit back again – what we displayed over the last two seasons to win the two league titles.

‘Things may well have clicked for us now and we seem to have got back into that habit of winning matches – and opponents are finding it very difficult to beat us.

‘Ideally, we want tonight’s game to be on so we can continue that momentum.

‘All of the players are eager to play at the moment so it would be good to go out there and get another victory.’

The winners of the cup tie will face a trip to AFC Portchester in the quarter-finals but Saunders is not expecting his side to have an easy night.

He added: ‘Christchurch may be a Wessex division one club but they will be fired up for our visit I’m sure.

‘Now we are a Southern League side they will see us as a good cup scalp to take so I expect they will have a good go at us.

‘We have to ensure that we approach the game in the proper manner.

‘We should have too much for them in terms of the players we have but that only counts if we apply ourselves properly to the task in hand.’

– GRAEME MOIR