Big boost for Peterborough Sports as former Peterborough United player is back for the county cup final against AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Former Peterborough United winger Jordan Nicholson has been declared fit after a four-month absence with a broken leg and is in the matchday squad for a game between two Southern Premier Division Central promotion contenders.

Both teams will see promotion as a priority, but Sports are determined to add a prestigious county cup trophy to their CV. Posh were the last Peterborough-based team to win the competition over a decade ago.

“Promotion is 100% our priortity this season,” Sports manager Jimmy Dean said. “But we 100% want to win this competition as well. It’s a county cup final and there’s always a big rivalry between teams from Northampton way and teams from Peterborough.

“We won the Northants Junior Cup in my first season at Sports so a county double would be great. If we win promotion and a county cup that would represent a fantastic season.

“We are going there strong and having Jordan back is a massive boost. Obviously we will have to be careful with him as we have a manic schedule right now, but he’s in the squad and will play.”

Sports have already completed a league double over Rushden & Diamonds, winning 1-0 away and 2-1 at home in a scrappy encounter at the Bee Arena last month. Sports also won a battle of two weakened teams in a League Cup tie.

“Those games won’t mean a lot tonight,” Dean said. “But I am intruiged as to what sort of side Diamonds put out. We are confirmed in the play-offs and are playing to get home advantage, whereas as they are only three points ahead of Alvechurch who are chasing them for the final play-off place.

“The game against them at our place was terrible. There was no quality in the game at all, but it should be competitive tonight.”