Peteborough Sports beaten in the FA Cup, but pride very much intact

Peterborough Sports skipper Mark Jones is tackled strongly by a Chorley player. Photo: James Richardson.

It was a miserable, wet, cold day, the wind was howling and the pitch was scruffy, but, sadly from a Peterborough Sports point of view, nothing could knock visitors Chorley off their stride.

An away win was always likely and a three-goal winning margin wasn’t that surprising. Sports are good and have achieved great things in recent seasons - including this FA Cup run to the third qualifying round stage - but they faced a team today who are seven points clear and unbeaten at the top of the National North Division - two levels above the city side.

“We had a go,” Sports manager Jimmy Dean said. “For a 20-minute spell we looked like we night do something, but we are not used to playing at the intensity required to beat a top side like Chorley.

Lewis Hilliard of Peterborough Sports tries to mount an attack against Chorley. Photo: James Richardson.

“For us to win we had to have every player at 100% and they had to have an off day. It didn’t happen, but we should be proud of what we’ve achieved in this FA Cup run.

“At every stage of the competition we ‘ve played the best possible opponents. Stamford were top of their league when we beat them, Basildon had won all seven games in their league when we beat them and then we were drawn away to Boston United who play in Chorley’s division.

“This game proved a step too far, but the biggest compliment to my lads was Chorley fielding their strongest possibke side and taking us very seriously.”

Sports’ keeper Lewis Moat made some fine early saves before he was beaten by a superb 20-yard volley from Chorley left-back Adam Jakeman just past the half hour. A few minutes earlier Courtney Meppam-Walter had smashed a shot onto Moat’s crossbar.

Avelion Vieira in possession for Peterborough Sports in their FA Cup tie with Chorley.

Moat wasn’t quite so impressive when he appeared to palm Jakeman’s corner into his own net at the start of the second-half and a third goal 15 minutes from time from Marcus Carver sealed a comfortable win for the visitors in front of a crowd of 404.

Mark Jones and Avelino Vieira were denied by goalkeeper and defender in Sports’ best moment of the game towards the end of the first-half.

Moat, Mitch Griffiths and Vieira earned particular praise from Dean, while skipper Mark Jones led the forward line well before visiting hospital after the game to have stitches inserted.

Peterborough Sports: Lewis Moat, Mitchell Griffiths, Dan Bucciero, Paul Malone, Stuart Wall, Dan Lawlor, Josh McCammon, Lewis Hilliard, Avelino Vieira, Mark Jones, Josh Moreman. Substitutes: Jake Newman, Lewis Webb, Richard Jones, Andre Williams, James Connell, Harley Meadows.

Chorley: Matt Urwin, Matt Challonor, Adam Blakeman, Andy Teague, Courtney Meppam-Walter, Scott Leather, Jake Cottrell, Kieran Glyn, Marcis Carver, Josh Wilson, Elliot Newby. Substitutes: Dale Whitham, Jake O’Brien, Steve Jordan, Louis Almond, Reuben Lazarus, Danny Eccles.