Peterborough Sports boss pleased with support as they romp home against St Ives in Cambrideshire derby

Peterborough Sports boss Jimmy Dean’s impassioned plea for more support in the pages of Peterborough Telegraph certainly appears to have worked.

A fine crowd of 352 - the club’s second highest of the season in the Southern League Premier Division Central - was present at the Bee Arena yesterday (February 22) to see title-chasing Sports brush aside relegation battlers St Ives Town in a Cambridgeshire derby clash that went exactly as the league table suggested it would.

Prolific Sports – the leading scorers in the top eight levels of football in this country – eased to a 5-0 success which, with a bit composure in front of goal and but for a couple of fine saves from visiting goalkeeper Martin Conway, could quite easily have been doubled.

“I certainly don’t want to be derogatory towards St Ives, but I felt the game was over pretty early,” said Dean.

“We know they have had a tough time lately so we wanted to get at them from the first whistle.

“Scoring twice in the opening quarter-of-an-hour put us in control and a third goal before half-time sealed it.

“We downed tools a bit in the second half at times, but we won 5-0 in a local derby so we can’t be too disappointed.

“And fair play to the people of Peterborough for coming out and getting behind us.

“Hopefully they saw enough – in the first half especially – to see that we’re a decent team.”

An early brace from Mark Jones provided the perfect start for Sports.

He pounced from point blank range for the opener after Maniche’s initial header from a Lewis Hilliard corner had been saved.

And Jones was celebrating again only four minutes later when generously allowed a free header from Dion Sembie-Ferris’ pinpoint delivery from the right.

Paul Malone ghosted in to head a third for Sports from another Hilliard corner five minutes before the break and only a smart Conway save prevented another goal in identical circumstances moments later.

The intensity predictably dropped after the break but Sports’ dominance was never threatened.

They added to their tally midway through the second period when a fine pass from substitute Jim Stevenson was given the coolest of finishes by Josh Moreman.

Stevenson and fellow substitute Cameron Johnson both fluffed excellent opportunities to stretch the lead before Sports’ other replacement, Avelino Vieira, did succeed in applying further gloss to the scoreline with a sharp turn and smart finish late on.

Sports’ fifth consecutive victory lifted them into second place in the Premier Division Central standings.

And they could climb to the top-of-the-table by triumphing at Hednesford on Tuesday (February 25) night.

“We’ve got 12 games to go and let’s see where it takes us,” added Dean.

“We’re all buzzing and enjoying every minute of the ride we’re on.

“It was important to get past St Ives and we did that without over-exerting ourselves and without picking up any injuries.

“Hednesford are the next team we have to worry about and we’ll go there on Tuesday with the aim of continuing the great run.”