Injury blow for Peterborough Sports and FA Cup progress for Blackstones and Bourne Town
Peterborough Sports have suffered an injury blow ahead of their opening National League North game of the season at Chester next Saturday (August 9).
Former Peterborough United striker Shaq Coulthirst suffered a knee injury in the first half of yesterday’s 2-1 friendly win at Stamford AFC.
Coulthirst had scored a few minutes earlier. A second summer signing Sam McLintock also netted in the final pre-season friendly for both clubs.
"We don’t know for sure yet, but Shaq could be out for several weeks,” Sports joint-manager Michael Gash admitted. “It’s a blow for us as he’s looked sharp and it leaves us short of forwards. We will now probably look to get another one in before the Chester game.
"Pre-season has otherwise gone pretty well for us. The game yesterday wasn’t the best. It was probably the poorest we’ve been, but we still won.”
Blackstones and Bourne Town won their extra preliminary round FA Cup ties on Saturday, while March Town face a Tuesday night replay.
Deeping Rangers were denied a next round tie against neighbours Bourne after losing 3-0 at home to higher level Wellingborough Town and Wisbech Town and Yaxley were both beaten 3-2.
Sam Bennett scored twice for Wisbech at Haverhill Rovers while Jezz Goldson-Williams also struck twice for Yaxley who found themselves 3-0 down at the break at Hucknall.
Bourne will now travel to Wellingborough in the preliminary round on August 16 when Blackstones will entertain Grimsby Borough who knocked AFC Rushden & Diamonds out today.
Nathan Rudman and Josh Sennett scored for Stones in their 2-1 home win over AFC Mansfield today while Zac Allen scored a late winner in Bourne’s 2-1 success at Harrowby United. Robbie Ellis also scored for ‘The Wakes’ were also indebted to a fine save from goalkeeper Will Lakin with the match delicately poised at 1-1.
March and Soham Town drew 0-0 at the GER. They will replay for the right to host Ipswich Wanderers in the preliminary round.
A last-gasp penalty deep into added time ended FC Peterborough’s perfect start to the Thurlow Nunn Division One season. Michael Gonclaves and Ayman Trabelsi scored to give the city side a 2-1 lead, but the hosts struck late to claim their first point of the season.
Whittlesey Athletic, Holbeach United and FC Parson Drove were all beaten.
Spalding United’s final friendly result was an impressive 2-0 win at National League King’s Lynn Town. Jack Roberts scored both goals.
RESULTS
FA CUP Extra preliminary round: Blackstones 2 (Rudman, Sennett), AFC Mansfield 1; Deeping Rangers 0, Wellingborough Town 3; Harrowby United 1, Bourne Town 2 (Ellis, Allen); Haverhill Rovers 3, Wisbech Town 2 (Bennett 2), Hucknall Town 3, Yaxley 2 (Goldson-Williams 2), March Town 0, Soham Town Rangers 0.
THURLOW NUNN LEAGUE
Division One North
AFC Sudbury Res 4, Whittlesey Athletic 0; FC Parson Drove 0, Framlingham 1; Long Melford 3, Holbeach United 2; Needham Market Reserves 2, FC Peterborough 2 (Gonclaves, Trabelsi).
FRIENDLIES
Stamford AFC 1, Peterborough Sports 2 (Coulthirst, McLintock); King’s Lynn Town 0, Spalding United 2 (Roberts 2).