A reprieve for Peterborough Sports thanks to a Northern England monsoon
Peterborough Sports have appointed Phil Brown as manager for his wisdom, experience and his vast contacts book.
The veteran boss also appears to have brought some good luck with him as Saturday’s National League North basement battle at Southport was abandoned after 63 minutes with the hosts 2-1 ahead.
A waterlogged pitch following a Northern England monsoon caused the call-off for a game that will now replayed, a decision that suited the city side more than heir opponents.
Of course, a Sports squad bolstered by three more new signings, might well have got something from the contest. They conceded in the first minute and slipped 2-0 down just past the half hour mark, but Max Booth had replied six minutes before the teams were forced off the field.
As is their peculiar wont Sports announced new arrivals on the day of the game. Midfielder Jez Davies has been signed on loan from League Two side Salford, while former Swansea City winger Maliq Cadogan, a player for Brown at Kidderminster, also pitched up as did defender Richard Faakye who was recently released from Swansea City.
Cadogan and Faakye started at Southport, but were helpless as the home side struck within 60 seconds. Sports were undone by a fine cross from Arthur Gnahoua, a clever dummy from Mo Touray and a composed finish from Jordan Slew, a veteran of multiple Football League clubs including Blackburn Rovers who once paid £1 million for his services.
Sports responded with a quickly-taken free kick which led to a Dan Jarvis shot being blocked. Bayley McCann was prominent and he sent a couple of lovely crosses in. Jarvis headed one at the ‘keeper, but the second was rebounded around the penalty area before being cleared.
But it was Southport who found the second goal on 31 minutes as Sonny Hilton accepted a fine through ball from Touray before going round Sports’ keeper Sam Edwards and slotting into an empty net.
Brown made 2 substitutions at the break with Cadogan and Ashton Fox replaced by Davies and Booth. The latter soon forced a save from the Southport ‘keeper and the former curled just wide after a good set-up from Sam McLintock.
Booth then fired home at the back post after more excellence from McCann, but persistent rain turned into something much more sinister and play was understandably halted, leaving the clubs stuck in the bottom two.
Sports are back in FA Cup action next Saturday (September 27) when travelling to Harborough Town.
Sports: Edwards, Fryatt, Fox (sub Davies, 46 mins), Faakye, Whitehouse, Jarvis (sub Williams, 55 mins), McLintock, Straughan-Brown, McCann, Oakley, Cadogan (sub Booth, 46 mins). Unused subs: Crook, Cavallo, Miller, Hickingbottom.