Petersfield Town snuck into the Southern Combination Football League Premier Division play-offs in style with a thumping 5-1 win at Roffey on the final day of the season on Saturday.

The Rams needed to win their match and hope either Crawley Down Gatwick or Haywards Heath dropped points to make the top five.

Crawley’s 2-0 defeat at Midhurst & Easebourne, coupled with Petersfield’s win, saw the Rams finish in fifth place and set up a trip to second-placed Crowborough Athletic in the play-off semi-finals.

Petersfield’s task was made easier when Roffey’s Ash Mutongerwa received a second yellow card after 31 minutes and was sent off.

Mutongerwa bought down Harrison Cable on the break early on for his first booking, and then caught Liam Kimber on another break to bring his afternoon to a premature end.

Despite the Rams enjoying a numerical advantage, it was the hosts who took the lead against the run of play.

Joshua Neathey’s excellent ball in behind caused confusion between Petersfield keeper Ellis Grant and Jack Farrier, which gave Bailey Moyo the opportunity to pick up the pieces, round Grant and tap into an empty net.

The Rams got back on level terms in the 37th minute when superb chasing from Cable from a Farrier long ball led to the equaliser. Some excellent hold-up play meant Asad Ssemwogerere could take over and whip his shot into the back of the net.

Petersfield then dominated the second half and scored four unanswered goals.

Will Webb produced a superb performance for the Rams and was unlucky to not score when his volley was saved by Roffey keeper Monty Watson-Price, but Jack Lee was on hand to rifle in from six yards out and put the visitors ahead.

Ssemwogerere grabbed his second of the afternoon just after the hour mark. Lee’s excellent cross was flicked goalwards by Ash Leigh to force a superb save from Watson-Price, but Ssemwogerere finished off the rebound with a free header to make it 3-1.

Callum Kimber then grabbed two goals to finish the scoring. He showed tricky feet for his first goal as he was tripped in the area to win a penalty, before stepping up from the spot and slotting home to make it 4-1.

Kimber completed the scoring for the afternoon when a Ssemwogerere cross was palmed away by Watson-Price, leaving Kimber to tap home to make it 5-1.

Petersfield co-manager Connor Hoare was delighted with his side’s performance and the mentality the Rams showed to seal a top-five finish.

“It was an excellent performance and we were pretty dominant,” said Hoare.

“When we lost against Wick we knew we had to win our last two games against Midhurst and Roffey to have any chance of getting in the play-offs.

“We delivered against Midhurst and we delivered again at Roffey, which shows the mentality of the group.

“I think our group are better when they are chasing something rather than being chased, and they have proven that in the past two games.

“The play-offs are about chasing the goal of promotion, so hopefully that suits us.

“I would have been very disappointed if we hadn’t made the play-offs – it would have felt like a missed opportunity.

“The target at the start of the season was a top-five finish, and we have delivered.”