Peterborough Sports are back on the road to Wembley, but they've received a late availability blow

​A win at lower level opposition would move Sports into the last 16 of a competition which boasts a May final at England's national stadium.

They’ve travelled to the fifth round just once before, in a season interrupted by Covid.

But Sports are taking nothing for granted against a team mid-table in the Isthmian League Premier Division, especially as they’ve lost on-loan centre-back Hayden Cann who has been recalled by parent club Lincoln City.

Sports joint-manager Michael Gash said: “We would like to thank Hayden for all his hard work and top performances throughout the season so far. Hayden came in and improved us as a team and from his performances week in week out has show his ability as a player.”

Horsham played out a superb 3-3 draw at League One promotion chasers Barnsley in the first round of the FA Cup this season and drew 1-1 at table-topping Hornchurch in a league game last weekend when Sports were frustrated by the weather.

The city side’s scheduled fixture at Banbury was postponed, more because of pitch flooding rather than mere waterlogging!

"We are basically four wins from Wembley,” Gash added. “It’s still a long way off, but if we win this game then who knows?

"It would certainly be great for the players and for the club as a whole if we could at least beat the club record.

"It’s a tough game at Horsham though. They have obviously been good in cup ties and they play on a 4G pitch, a surface we’ve struggled on this season.

"We trained on one on Saturday when our game was called off and played a friendly at Yaxley on Tuesday, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t play well on that type of pitch. We have good technical players.

"We had Horsham watched last weekend. There wasn’t a lot of quality in the game, but it was played on a really difficult surface so I doubt it will mean a lot.

"It was frustrating to have our game called off at Banbury as we had some good momentum and we would have been confident, but they had it bad down there and there was little chance we would play.

"We got some work into the players’ legs and we will be ready for this Saturday.”

A coachload of Sports’ supporters are making the trip to West Sussex and they could see a new face as their club is trying to find a midfield replacement for Oisin Gallagher who has returned to Lincoln City after a spell on loan at PIMS Park.

Sports have extended the loan of young Posh defender Ashton Fox until the end of the season, but forward Harrison Nee has departed after his short-term contract expired.

“Ashton has been fantastic for us,” Gash added. “He has been very solid and consistent at the back and we are delighted to get to keep him for the rest of the season.

"For a young lad he plays very intelligently. If he makes a mistake he learns from it very quickly.

"Harrison hasn’t been getting many minutes so we felt it best he found another club. We are well off for forwards.”

Experienced centre-back Ryan Fryatt is back in the squad after a long injury absence, but he lacks match fitness so it would be a gamble to play him in place of Cann.

​Sports host fellow mid-table dwellers Farsley Celtic in a National League North match at PIMS Park on Tuesday (January 16, 7.45pm kick off).

Banbury United v Sports was surprisingly the only National League North match to be postponed last weekend, but results went the way of the city side, as far as their main aim of avoiding relegation is concerned.

There were also some midweek matches which left Sports eight points and seven places above the relegation zone. They are also eight points from the play-off places.

"It’s important we don’t lose focus in the league,” Sports joint boss Michael Gash said, mindful of a bad defeat at lowly Gloucester City just days after a famous Trophy win at Dagenham & Redbridge last month.

"The results went pretty well for us while we weren’t playing ourselves, but games will come thick and fast now. We have seven games in February for a start.”

​Sports were grateful to local United Counties League side Yaxley who gave them such much needed practice on an artificial surface in a Tuesday night friendly.

Sports predictably won 7-0 with goals from Ben Fowkes (2), Kaine Felix (2), Mark Jones, Matt Tootle and joint manager Luke Steele.

Steele, a former professional Football League goalkeeper scored with a towering header. It’s not expected to win him a place in the Trophy line-up!

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