Peterborough North End Sports hit the top, but the manager sees danger everywhere

Action from Peterborough North End Sports (blue) v Netherton United earlier this season.

A scrappy 2-1 win at windswept Oakham United moved a team seeking promotion to the United Counties League to the summit and they should stay there tomorrow (January 16) when mid-table Holbeach United Reserves visit the Bee Arena (2pm).

But Wood sees danger everywhere in what is turning out to be a competitive top flight.

“It’s great to be top,” Wood admitted. “But there are still so many games to play it would be foolish to get carried away.

“We are a talented team, but we are also very young. Others like Moulton Harrox and Netherton have more experience and they’ve both won the league recently.

“And I’m not ruling Stamford Lions out. They just go along quietly doing their business and they have got themselves into a good position.

“I did expect us to challenge for the title this season. We finished third last season with basically a team of teenagers.

“We’ve now added good experience in goalkeeper Dave Beeny, centre-back Steve Slack and forward Stuart Eason.

“I also have Hamish Curtis helping out this season and he has excellent experience from playing and managing so everything is in place to be successful.

“But others will fancy their chances as well so we have to keep doing the business on the pitch.

“Every game is dangerous. We would have been expected to beat Oakham last weekend, but it was hard work in difficult conditions against another young team with good players who played very well.”

Eason and Andrew Irvine scored the goals at Oakham. Wood believes Irvine is the most talented young player in the competition.

Wood’s team played as Peterborough Sports Development last season and finished ahead of city rivals Netherton who are managed by Jon Harrison.

Harrison and Wood are work colleagues and big mates. Wood was part of Harrison’s ‘quad squad’ from two seasons ago.

“There is a big rivalry there,” Wood added. “But it’s a respectful one.”

FIXTURES

Saturday, January 18

PETERBOROUGH LEAGUE

Premier Division: ICA v Parson Drove, Long Sutton v Ketton, Netherton v Polonia, Peterborough NE Sports v Holbeach Res, Stamford Lions v Thorney, Uppingham v Moulton Harrox.