Peterborough Sports' boss sets his side a new challenge after a rare defeat
‘Gutted’ Peterborough Sports joint-manager Michael Gash has challenged his players to embark on another lengthy unbeaten National League North run.
The city side lost for the first time in nine matches when falling to a late deflected strike to Scunthorpe United at PIMS Park on Boxing Day. On paper they look to have an ideal opportunity to bounce back as they travel to next-to-bottom Needham Market on New Year’s Day (3pm kick-off), although the strugglers did pick up an excellent point at King’s Lynn yesterday and they knocked Sports out of the FA Cup last season.
"That’s what this league is like,” Gash stated. “Every team is capable of winning any game, but what I know is we have a set of lads who are now playing at 100% in every match no matter who they are plating. We were gutted to lose on Boxing Day to Scunthorpe United which shows how far we have come.
"We didn’t deliver our best performance, but we were rock solid so to lose to an 85th-minute goal was very frustrating. We did let the lad get inside on to his better foot too easily, but the ball was going straight to the 'keeper until it hit Hugh Alban-Jones and flew into the corner. Even then we came close to equalising as a Michael Gyasi header was cleared off the line with some people convinced it had actually gone over the line.
"There was a lack of quality in the final third from both teams in the first-half. They improved in the second-half, but we were still solid, while also having half chances at the other end.
"That’s where we are right now. We are giving everyone a game and we were disappointed to lose to the biggest club in the division. It’s a shame the run ended like it did, but the challenge now is to start another one.”