Peterborough Sports boss delighted to see his side rediscover their scoring touch

A disappointing 0-0 draw at PIMS Park preceded an impressive 3-1 away victory against the step 3 side on Monday night.

Prior to that, Sports’ last three goals had come across eight matches.

On Monday night, however, Sports got straight down to business and Dan Jarvis had them ahead inside ten minutes, with a shot past the goalkeeper after powering his way through.

After 24 minutes, however, Sports were pegged back from the penalty spot after Luke Rowe was brought down by Josh McCammon.

There were few complaints from Sports as Reece Flanagan slotted into the bottom left corner.

The tie was still level at the break but in no small part down the home goalkeeper Adam Harrison who pulled off a series of impressive saves from both Jarvis and Jordan Nicholson.

Sports finally made their domination count after 55 minutes though when Ben Fowkes fired in the first of a quick-fire double.

The striker put the first one through the keeper’s legs after Gash’s through pass and the second was rifled in from the left hand side of the box following a great cross-field ball from Nicholson.

Boss Gash is hopeful that confidence will carry Sports onto an improved run of form, starting with the visit of high-flying South Shields on Saturday.

He said: “​It was disappointing to not win the game on Saturday and give ourselves a replay with one day rest but we have to take responsibility for that, not taking our chances.

“On Monday, we were more clinical. When we were in the final third, the decision-making and the quality of pass was a lot better. We were getting shots off and forcing the keeper into some great saves too.

“We were more ruthless and we need to be doing those things over and over again, don’t get bored of doing the right things; that’s what hurts teams.

“We started off so well with three or four chances and then all of a sudden we took our foot off the gas and let them back in.

“The penalty is a poor decision from Macca to dangle his leg- he knows it- but we came out and started the second half really well and Ben’s two goals were brilliant, he took them really well.

“They were fantastic finishes and that will give Ben that confidence he needs. We rested him on Saturday- he’s played a lot of football recently- and sometimes he thinks the weight is on him for goals but we don’t believe that. We want goals throughout the team.

“The main thing was the result and we got a good performance too when we’ve still got people carrying knocks and others not back yet.”

The reward for victory was a home time against Needham Market in the third qualifying round on September 30.

The Marketmen, play alongside Redditch in the Southern League Premier Division Central, sitting third having taken 15 points from their opening eight matches.

They beat Hashtag United 1-0 away from home in the previous round.

Gash added: “You can say it’s a good draw for us but as we’ve just seen from Redditch, there’s no easy games.

"Everybody knows what the FA Cup can do so it’s going to be another tough game. We want to go as far as we can.

“For our club like ours, we don’t generate the money other clubs can so to get a cup run would be fantastic. There’s some big clubs that come in at the first round. It would be massive boost but there’s a lot of football to be played between then.”

Gash is continuing to deputise at centre-back but both Ashton Fox and Connor Johnson will serve the final game of their suspension against South Shields.

The club will also assess new midfielder Cuba Meyer on Thursday who has both illness and a knock.