Great goals and a fantastic fightback moves Peterborough Sports closer to the play-off places than the relegation zone
A fine fightback and two brilliant goals delivered a 3-1 National League North win for Peterborough Sports over Warrington Town at PIMS Park on Saturday.
Sports were behind heading into first-half injury time, but a remarkable long-range strike from Hugh Alban-Jones, a penalty from Michael Gyasi and a thunderous shot from on-loan Doncaster Rovers youngster Bayley McCann stretched Sports’ unbeaten run to seven games. The city side are now nearer the play-off places (seven points) than the relegation zone (nine points).
The visitors almost took an early lead when they took the ball around Sports’ keeper Peter Crook, but the angle was acute and the shot inaccurate. An indirect free kick strike at goal from inside the home area was then bravely blocked by Alban-Jones.
Ryan Fryatt glanced a McCann free kick just wide on 32 minutes, but Warrington took the lead three minutes later when a cross was turned in from close range at the near post by Finley Cross-Adair. Sports bossed the rest of the half without creating a chance of note and it looked like they would trail at the break.
But two minutes into added time the game turned. The visiting goalkeeper probably felt he’d done well by racing out of his area to make a clearance, but the ball landed at the feet of Alban-Jones in the centre circle and he promptly despatched a shot over everyone and into the net.
That galvanised Sports who were much the better side after the break. Dan Jarvis shot just wide after 49 minutes, but on 52 minutes Gyasi was fouled in the penalty area and slotted home the spotkick to get Sports in front. Gyasi was soon shooting hard at the Warrington net again, but a deflection took the ball wide of the post.
Warrington did have a couple of potentially dangerous set-piece opportunities, but Sports defended them well and wing-back McCann sealed the points three minutes from time with a cracking hit from the edge of the area.
Sports: Crook, Fryatt, Gash, Lomax, Jarvis (sub Winters, 87 mins), McCann, Alban-Jones, Gallagher (sub Jones, 90 + 2 mins), Bland (sub Van Lier, 57 mins), Felix (sub Booth, 70 mins), Gyasi (sub Pereira, 90 +1 min).