LOOKING BACK: New Pirates management team sack the coach

Pictured 20 years ago are Posh WAGS Reserves who played in Division Two of the Sunday Combination League. The shot was taken before a 6-3 loss to Finance & Cash. Mark Baker scored all three WAGS goals. From the left are, back, Chris Stallebrass, Colin McInenney, Faz Mohammed, Peter Bellamy, sponsor Scott Wilson of Thistle Decorators, Paul Clarke, Gary Mays, Paul Reid, John Newman, Chris Butler, front, Mark Baker, Dave Crowson, Martin Crosse, mascot Robbie Wilson, Clive Molloy, Paul McDonald and Shaun Taylor.

Local sporting highlights this week in years gone by . . .

20 YEARS AGO

POSH: The postponement of two home games in two days over the holiday period - against Wrexham and Watford - because of snow and ice was described as a “£100,000 disaster” by Posh boss Barry Fry.

POSH: Posh’s FA Cup third round tie at Plymouth did beat the big freeze and a Ken Charlery goal on the hour-mark was enough for a 1-0 win. Andy Edwards at the heart of the Posh defence was the side’s man-of-the-match.

SPEEDWAY: Panthers pair Jason Crump and Ryan Sullivan were second and third respectively in the Australian Championship final in Brisbane. The winner was Craig Boyce.

DARTS: World number one and tournament favourite Martin Adams from Market Deeping fell at the first hurdle in the Embasssy World Championships. He lost 3-1 to 150-1 outsider Roger Carter from America.

ICE HOCKEY: Pirates manager Tony Hunter was sacked by the club’s new management team of Kevin Tatam, Dane Paul and Ian Coles. Kevin King took charge for the weekend games against Telford away and Slough at home but it made no difference. Pirates lost 14-4 and 6-3 respectively.

30 YEARS AGO

POSH: There was a terrific start to the new year for Posh. They won 3-0 against Wolves at Molineux in a Division Four fixture with goals by Jackie Gallagher, Noel Luke and Steve Phillips.

POSH: Noel Cantwell’s side kept up the good work two days later when beating arch rivals Cambridge United 2-1 at London Road with Luke scoring again and Errington Kelly hitting the winner.

FOOTBALL: Ian Richardson bagged his fifth hat-trick of the season for Blackstones in their 5-0 win over Burton Park Wanderers in the UCL First Division.

FOOTBALL: Ramsey were also big winners in UCL Division One. They beat Whitworths 6-1 with Andy Hollis, Mark Rayment and John Wilson all scoring twice.

ICE HOCKEY: Doug McEwen hit three goals for Peterborough Pirates in a 12-7 Heineken League win over Telford Tigers at the East of England Ice Rink. Garry Unger and Kevin King both netted twice.

RUGBY: Borough were smashed 44-0 away to Northampton Wanderers, the Saints second string. Scrum-half Howard Tilney and winger Kevin Roe were the only Borough players to emerge with credit.

40 YEARS AGO

RUGBY: A powerful Northampton Wanderers side including ex-England captain and British Lions player Bob Taylor proved too strong for Borough. They won 32-4 with Tich Ireson running in a consolation try.

FOOTBALL: Eddie Broadhurst scored two brilliant goals for Stamford in a 3-0 UCL Premier Division derby win against Holbeach.

FOOTBALL John Holoran scored five times for Dogsthorpe in their 7-1 win over Ramsey Reserves in Division Two of the Peterborough League. Tom Osker and Dave Setchfield got their other goals.

FOOTBALL: Cadge & Colman slammed Redring 9-1 in the PFA Sunday Morning Cup with Dick Templeman bagging four goals.

POSH: Noel Cantwell’s side started the new year with a bang. They beat Portsmouth 4-2 at London Road with John Cozens claiming a hat-trick. Mark Heeley scored the other Posh goal.

SQUASH: Bretton stormed into the third round of the national Treton mixed tournament by thumping Northampton Saints 5-0. Their winners were Brian Abel (3-2), Neville Keir (3-1), John Rudd (3-0), Heather Simpson (3-0) and Jenny Forster (3-0).

50 YEARS AGO

POSH: Goals by Gordon Pulley, Tommy Watson and Jimmy Rooney earned a depleted Posh side a 3-1 win over Mansfield Town, the second best side in Division Four.

POSH: Late goals by John Mason (2) and Colin Garwood earned Posh Reserves a 3-3 draw with Chelsea Reserves at Stamford Bridge.

HOCKEY: Cliff Hanks scored a hat-trick for Mitchells in a 6-0 win over Old Ortonians. Terry Hare (2) and Alan Toates got their other goals.

HOCKEY: In another mixed match, Mark Wildman scored three times for Young Conservatives in their 5-3 win over Perkins. Joan Stapleton and Shirley Gauntlett also netted for YCs with Denis Hooke (2) and John Butler on target for Perkins.

RUGBY: Borough lost 8-3 at home to Boston. Barry Vanstone scored their try.

TENNIS: Peterborough’s John Rudd, who played in goal for the England Grammar Schools football team, won through to the third round of the British Junior Covered Court Tennis Championships at Queen’s Club, London. He won 6-3, 6-0 against Peter Sisson from Hertfordshire and then 6-3, 6-3 against P. Etheridge from Somerset.