Petersfield Town manager Joe Lea praised his side’s fast start after they won 2-1 at home to Ringwood Town in Division One of the Wessex League on Saturday.

Goals from Matt Dougan and Connor Hoare inside the first 11 minutes set the Rams well on their way to the three points.

Petersfield hadn’t played since winning 8-1 at Ash on January 3 – thanks to a combination of torrential rain and ice – and Lea was delighted with how his side came quickly out of the blocks.

“Saturday was our first game for a few weeks and it could have gone one of two ways,” said Lea.

“We were either going to be quick out of the blocks with all that pent-up energy, or slightly lethargic and sluggish – thankfully we were the former.”

Dougan broke the deadlock after five minutes. Charlie Merritt delivered a crossfield pass to Dougan, whose superb touch gave him the space to slot the ball under the Ringwood keeper.

The hosts took full control with their second, courtesy of Hoare. Merritt cut the ball back for Alex Barsa to cross. Barsa’s ball was blocked in the box but fell to Hoare, who struck a neat first-time finish into the far corner.

The visitors made a game of it and Ben Harris, after a nice interchange, wastefully blazed over when through on goal.

Just after the half-hour mark Joe Petty scored a beauty for Ringwood. A long ball towards the striker was partly cleared to Petty about 20 yards out. He was afforded too much space and spotted Rams keeper Jordi Wilson a few steps off his line. Petty’s shot came off the underside of the crossbar on its way in.

The Rams pushed for a third with Kieran Alcock and Marvin Orepo combining, resulting in a good save from the Ringwood keeper. Merritt and Barsa then combined to force a low save.

Petersfield rang the changes in the second half, with Chris Bennett, Mino Djaura and Ollie Davies all coming on and causing Ringwood problems.

However, it was Dougan with his tricky feet who beat three men inside the box and forced a save from the Ringwood keeper.

In the 83rd minute Ringwood’s Harrison Clarke received a second yellow card for simulation. Driving forwards he threw himself to the floor as soon as he got into the box under a slight challenge.

Ringwood’s Joss Holford was then sin-binned, leaving the visitors to finish with nine men.

Petersfield won again on Tuesday night in the Wessex League Cup when they overcame Fleetlands 1-0 at the The Southdowns Builders Stadium.

Petersfield Town’s reserve team put in a creditable performance but lost 1-0 at AFC Stoneham Reserves on Saturday.