Peterborough Sports can now concentrate on getting points on the board after much-needed Saturday win
Peterborough Sports joint-boss Michael Gash is relishing the chance to put National League North points on the board now his team are free of cup distractions until the middle of November.
Gash admitted Saturday’s 2-0 win over Marine at PIMS Park was ‘much-needed’ and not just because it followed an agonising FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat on penalties four days earlier.
Sports had slipped a few places in the National League North table because of their cup involvements, but goals from Dan Jarvis and Dion Sembie-Ferris pushed them back up 17th, four points and four places clear of the relegation places, ahead of a trip to Farsley Celtic on Wednesday (October 23). That’s the first of six league matches before Sports kick off their FA Trophy campaign.
Jarvis was a welcome scorer of the first goal against Marine as his failure from the spot meant Sports failed in their mission to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history. The fans’ favourite pounced within a minute of Marine failing to take the lead from the penalty spot yesterday.
"It was so good to see Dan get the important first goal,” Gash enthused. “No-one at the club was blaming him for the FA Cup defeat, but he would doubtless have felt bad about it. He let his emotions come out after scoring on Saturday and it was a great moment. It was a much-needed win as it seemed like we hadn’t played a league game for a while and it was thoroughly deserved.
"There were chances at either end in the first-half and we missed a couple of really good ones. It could easily have been 3-2 at half-time, but we dominated the second-half. We played really well, but again didn’t take our chances and it looked like it was going to cost us when they got a penalty for handball 30 seconds after we should have had a free-kick, also for handball.
"Thankfully they missed it and from the goal-kick we opened the scoring. We were comfortable after that and added a second goal in added time. It’s a big win for us and the character, and fitness, the players showed after a gruelling couple of FA Cup ties was outstanding. We need to build on the result now. We don’t have any other distractions until the middle of November so we can focus on what’s really most important to us, and that’s the league.
"We have a busy schedule starting on Wednesday. Farsley have had some issues recently and they are currently ground-sharing at Bradford Park Avenue which is why are our game was pushed back a day. It’s a chance for another win, but midweek away games are tough at this level. I know everyone will be up for it though and we will give it a go.”
Sports then host Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday (October 26, 3pm). That game against one of the biggest clubs in the division – one that Sports knocked out of the FA Trophy last season – is followed by fixtures with Leamington (away, Saturday, November 2), Alfreton (home, Tuesday, November 5), Southport (away, Saturday, November 9) and Darlington (away, Tuesday November 12) before the FA Trophy second round on November 16.
Centre-back Ryan Fryatt returned to play against Marine after a bout of Covid, but fellow defenders MJ Kamson-Kamara and Ashton Fox are unlikely to feature at Farsley because of injury. Kamson-Kamara could be out for a while with a foot injury that forced him off after 14 minutes against Marine.