Debutant scored as Peterborough Sports came close to claiming a fine result against high-flying Boston United

Sports went down 2-1 in front over 2,500 fans at the Jakemans Community Stadium. The hosts, who are fifth, led 2-0 at the break, but were reduced to 10 men 20 minutes from time with Sports’ debutant Brandon Njoku pulling a goal back soon afterwards.

But despite plenty of late pressure Sports couldn’t find an equaliser. The city side remain in 18th place, five points above the relegation places with five games to go, starting witch a crunch clash against doomed Gloucester City at PIMS Park on Easter Monday (3pm),

Sports signed Njoku on loan from Cambridge United yesterday. He had appeared for the Us against Peterborough United in a League One game in February. They also took former Posh youth team player Kellan Hickinson from Yaxley and re-signed forward Gabe Overton on loan from Posh. Forward Ben Fowkes has left the club and joined Felixstowe & Walton United, even though Sports striker Mark Jones could be out for the season.

Lillianna Armstrong reports from Boston….’Sports had the better of the early play and looked the more likely to break the deadlock. Njoku had his first sight of goal on 4 minutes when he put an effort wide after meeting a Josh McCammon cross from the left hand side.

Sports keeper Peter Crook was called into action on 12 minutes when a low shot from in-form home striker Kelsey Mooney was driven low towards goal but Crook did well to hold onto the effort and claim.

Connor Johnson and Michael Gash both had decent chances for The Turbines with the latter doing well to bring the ball down in the box and hit an effort at goal on the turn, but he saw it trickle past the far post on 18 minutes.

After the 20-minute mark, Sports hit a quiet patch and this allowed the hosts to grow into and dominate the game. The first goal of the contest came on 31 minutes when a poor ball from Sports’ Ryan Fryatt was intercepted and this allowed Keaton Ward to deliver a cross into the box which found the head of Mooney who had the simple task of nodding home unmarked.

Five minutes later and The Pilgrims had their second and it was another in-form striker in Jimmy Knowles who was able to confidently lift the ball over the hand of Crook and double his side's advantage. It could have so easily been three for the hosts just moments later, but Crook produced a brilliant save to smother an effort from Mooney.

Sports had a mountain to climb in the second half if they were to get anything out of the game, but they didn't give up. Hugh Alban-Jones was having a decent game in the middle of the park and one of his free kicks found Johnson in the area but his right footed effort went over the bar on 50 minutes.

Njoku looked lively for Sports all afternoon and he nearly got his first goal for the club on 58 minutes when he did well to beat the offside trap, but saw his low effort strike the outside of the far post. The Turbines were dealt a lifeline back into the game on 67 minutes when Boston’s Brad Nicholson was sent walking after a second yellow.

Soon after, Kaine Felix saw his cross taken by the wind towards goal and hit the post. The breakthrough for Sports came on 76 minutes as Njoku deservedly got on the scoresheet with a debut goal. Dan Jarvis did well to slip a neat ball into Njoku and he poked the ball past the onrushing Gregory to find the bottom corner.

Despite continuing to have chances, Sports couldn’t find that all-important equaliser.

Sports: Peter Crook, Elicha Ahui, Ryan Fryatt (sub Fox 80’), Connor Johnson, Rory McAuley, Josh McCammon, Dan Jarvis, Hugh Alban-Jones, Kaine Felix, Michael Gash, Brandon Njoku.

Unused subs: Matt Tootle, Cuba Meyer, Dan Lawlor & Kellan Hickinson.