A long overdue win as Peterborough Sports ease relegation fears

Sports made a few changes to the XI that started at Boston United on Good Friday with Ashton Fox replacing Ryan Fryatt, who began a 3-game suspension, and Dan Lawlor coming in for Kaine Felix to skipper the side.

The Turbines were still without club captain Mark Jones because of injury.

The game started scrappily with both sides battling for possession. Gloucester were the side that got the first corner of the game after 3 minutes but it caused no danger and was cleared well by the Sports defence.

There were two chances in quick succession on 13 minutes for Sports as both Michael Gash and Josh McCammon saw their efforts well blocked by Gloucester defenders. From this point, the home side dominated the first half and had the majority of the play and the chances.

Cambridge United loanee Brandon Njoku continued to look lively after his impressive debut on Good Friday and there were shouts for a penalty when he went down in the area on 15 minutes, but the referee waved away the appeals. There was a blow for Sports on the half hour mark when McCammon had to be replaced by Cuba Meyer due to what seemed to be a back injury.

The best chance of the first half for Sports came on 40 minutes when Njoku fed a neat through ball into the path of Dan Jarvis and he did well to take it round the keeper but then saw his shot cleared off the line in the nick of time by Gloucester’s Jamie Reckord.

Soon after the second half got underway, another Gloucester defender was called into action to clear a shot off the line, this time from substitute Meyer whose left-footed effort was so close to finding the back of the net.

Despite not having many chances in the first 45, the visitors began to show promise and the game evened out. However, on 67 minutes, The Turbines finally got that all-important breakthrough. A shot from just inside the area from Jarvis, which looked to be rather tame, was still able to beat the Gloucester keeper and find the bottom corner.

Recent signing Kellan Hickinson was handed his debut on 72 minutes, replacing goalscorer Jarvis. On 76 minutes, Hickinson put in a great cross which found the head of Michael Gash, however the keeper was able to easily claim the effort.

Njoku very nearly scored one of the goals of the season when he was able to dribble through a sea of bodies and keep his balance to then see his shot at goal palmed away by the keeper in the nick of time. Sports did well to soak up the pressure in the last few minutes to get a vital 3 points and edge them closer to safety.

The Turbines now look forward to a double-header with Farsley Celtic, starting first with the away game on Saturday (6th) and the home match next Tuesday (April 9, 7.45pm) at PIMS Park.

Sports: Peter Crook, Elicha Ahui, Connor Johnson, Ashton Fox, Rory McAuley, Dan Lawlor, Josh McCammon (sub Cuba Meyer 33’), Dan Jarvis (sub Kellan Hickinson 72’), Hugh Alban-Jones, Michael Gash, Brandon Njoku. Unused subs: Matt Tootle, Kaine Felix & Matty Miles.

Attendance: 355.

Sponsors MOM Brandon Njoku.