Late penalty brings Peterborough Sports down to earth after a fantastic start to the season

It took an 88th penalty for visitors Leiston to seal a 2-1 win, but a Sporst team weakened by key injuries to big players including Michael Gash and Maniche Sani were well off their normal pace. Manager Jimmy Dean was so short of numbers he was able to name just three outfield substitutes.

A close, tight affair unfolded though with both sides having periods of play but failing to find a decent end product.

This changed on 25 minutes when Leiston winger Finlay Barnes found space outside the box after a mazy run and curled the ball past the despairing right arm of Sports’ keeper Lewis Moat into the bottom corner of the net. It was and excellent finish.

Sports were back on level terms from the penalty spot on 41 minutes. A melee in the Leiston box was adjudged by the referee to be illegal even after Ryan Fryatt had headed home. A delay while the referee received some form of treatment meant a three-minute wait between the penalty being given and taken, but Mr dependable from the spot, Dan Lawlor, made no mistake.

The second half saw Leiston become more and more dominant and Sports’ attacks less frequent. In fact, had it not been for some excellent goalkeeping from Moat who came to the rescue several times, Leiston may well have been out of sight before a dramatic late finale.

As it was, Barnes capped off an excellent performance by coolly sending Lewis Moat the wrong way from the penalty spot to seal the points for a Leiston side now managed by former Norwich City star Darren Eadie.

It was the first dropped points of the season for Sports who remain top ahead of another tough home game against Tamworth on Tuesday (September 14, 7.45pm).