Peterborough Sports' beaten at the death by a late and lucky Scunthorpe goal

That it took former Championship club Scunthorpe United so long to find a winning goal at PIMS Park tells how much improvement Sports are currently showing. The fact that substitute Callum Roberts’ strike found the back of Peter Crook's net only after a hefty nick off a defender was proof of how unfortunate the city side were, even if the only goal of the game did arrive at the end of a long spell of Scunthorpe pressure.

Even then it took a terrific goal-line clearance from former Peterborough United full-back Tyler Denton after a powerful header from Michael Gyasi following a corner to preserve the win. Sports have now dropped to 17th place, but they still have a 10-point gap to the relegation zone ahead of a trip to next-to-bottom Needham Market on New Year’s Day. Scunthorpe are fourth, but only two points off the top.

The first-half had been an even affair with Kaine Felix the closest to claiming a home goal before a fast Scunthorpe break gave Kian Scales a chance to score, only for Eliot Putman to race back to make a block. Felix then had a even better opportunity on the stroke of half-time after pouncing on a defensive mishap, but visiting goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimmons pulled off a superb save.

Bayley McCann made a goal-line clearance and Max Booth stung the hands of Fitzsimmons in the second period before Scunthorpe exerted late control. Crook made a fantastic save to keep out a 25 yarder from Luke Williams. Another fine stop thwarted Danny Whitehall before the admirable goalkeeper was beaten by that fluke.

Sports: Crook, Putman, Fryatt, Gash, McCann, Van Lier (sub Bland, 63 mins), Alban-Jones, Jarvis (sub Ben Lomax 82 mins), Gallagher, Felix (sub Booth, 63 mins), Gyasi (sub Jones, 90 + 3 mins). Unused subs: Booth, Jones, Pereira, Bland.

Scunthorpe: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Boyce, Clunan, Whitehall, Rowley (sub Beck, 70 mins), Ubaezuonu (sub Kelly, 85 mins), Scales (sub Evans, 90+3 mins), Denton, Harris (sub Roberts, 57 mins), Barrows (sub Williams, 70 mins).