Petersfield are through to the final of the Gales Hampshire Bowl after holding off a late Alton fightback to win a tense local derby.

Three penalties from young Field stand-off Andrew Barnes were enough to give victory to the higher-league side - a stroke of irony given that the 17-year-old has, until recently, played his student rugby at Alton Sixth-Form College.

But it was dour affair that lacked fluidity, and though this had much to do with a biting wind and another desperately boggy Anstey Park pitch. This was a game that Petersfield won because they played less badly than Alton.

From an Alton perspective, it was a disappointing day because they failed to play with the pace and continuity that have typified their league displays of late. It was, on the whole, a flat performance, although the final quarter showed what might have been.

It looked so good on paper: Field, safe in London 4 South West, against their local rivals who still have hopes of promotion from Hampshire One. With both sides committed to free-flowing and expansive wide games, it could have been a classic.

On reflection, had the match been played at Petersfield's well-appointed ground at EHDC's Penns Place headquarters rather than a boggy Anstey Park, spectators and players alike might have had more enjoyment.

The game was scoreless at half-time after a bruising, combative opening period in which the only incident of note was a yellow card for Petersfield's Matt Hartwig after an incident at a ruck.

But it was another yellow card - for Alton's Steven Johns, again at a ruck - that made the game come alive.

Barnes immediately gave the visitors the lead from the resulting penalty and doubled the advantage shortly afterwards when Alton were again penalised for killing the ball at the breakdown.

Steve Ott reduced the arrears but the decisive score came with a quarter of the match remaining when Field scored the opening try of the match.

A series of drives followed a line-out catch and maul on Alton's 22, before Neil Arnold eventually crashed over from short range.

Barnes added his third penalty for a commanding 14-3 lead, but Alton responded immediately and they were finally rewarded when, after a period of sustained pressure, a loose ball on the Field 22 was gathered and spun wide to flanker Andrew Davies, who slipped over in the right-hand corner.

Alton pressed hard in the dying minutes but Field held their nerve to secure a place in the final, where they will take on another Hampshire One side, Ellingham & Ringwood, at their Penns Place ground in April.

Meanwhile, Alton will concentrate on their promotion campaign with a visit to Millbrook this weekend.

Alton: Wallace; Clark (Willis 41), Rees, Ott, Johns, Oliphant; Johns, Grace; Gay, Parratt (c), Watts, White, France; Davies, Carter, Forsyth.