First back-to-back wins of the season for Peterborough Sports as they ease out of the relegation zone

A penalty from ice cool Dan Lawlor 17 minutes from time was followed by a strike from Ben Fowkes on 81 minutes to seal a 2-0 win over in-form Southport at PIMS Park.

Lillianna Armstrong reports….

Sports were dealt a blow on 18 minutes when recent signing Kaine Felix limped off and was replaced by Harrison Nee. Midfielder Josh McCammon found himself with space to drive forward and take a shot at goal on the quarter of an hour mark, but his effort fizzed past the far post.

Brad Holmes broke the Sports defensive line on 28 minutes for Southport but he shot wide of the post also.

Into the second half and both sides were battling to get the ball on the ground and playing.

On the hour mark, Southport defender Harry Flowers met a corner with his head and saw his effort go inches wide of Peter Crook’s goal.

There were big shouts for a Sports penalty as the players were convinced there was a handball in the area. but the referee was having nothing of it.

A penalty did come the way of Sports on 72 minutes when Mark Jones was brought down in the area during a corner. Lawlor stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to put ‘The Turbines’ ahead.

The lead was then doubled on 81 minutes when Fowkes cut in onto his right foot and rifled a shot through the bodies and past Renshaw in the Southport goal off the post.

The visitors were dealt another blow before the final whistle when Josh Hmami was given a second yellow for a foul on Oisin Gallagher and was sent walking.

Sports will seek a hat-trick of wins at ninth-placed Buxton on Tuesday (October 24).

Team line-ups:

Peterborough Sports: Crook 7; Jarvis 7, Cann 7, Fox 8, Tootle 7 (Meyer 82’); McCammon 7, Lawlor 8, Gallagher 7; Fowkes 8, Jones 7 (Gash 86’), Felix 6 (Nee 18’ 7).

Subs not used: McGlinchey & Alban-Jones

Southport FC: Renshaw 6; Quansah 6, Evans 6, Flowers 6, Doyle 7; Burgess (Bainbridge) 6, Morgan 6, O’Neill 7 (Watson), Hmami 5; Carver 6, Holmes 6.

Subs not used: McMillian, Thomson, Anson

Referee: Isaac Searle