Peterborough Sports defy the odds again to end the 17-match unbeaten run of promotion-chasing Brackley Town

New Peterborough Sports signing Jordan Crawford (blue) in action during his goalscoring debut against Brackley. Photo: David Lowndes

Peterborough Sports’ ability to defy the odds remains undiminished despite the loss of key personnel.

Brackley Town pitched up at the Bee Arena on the back of a 17-game unbeaten run which had steered them to fourth in the National League table.

They would be too respectful of the rapid progress achieved by Sports to suffer from over-confidence, but they’d be forgiven for fancying their chances against a team without a pair of multi-promotion winners, manager Jimmy Dean and Dion Sembie-Ferris, who departed for higher-level Scunthorpe United.

But football often moves on quickly and Sports certainly have as Dean’s successor Michael Gash celebrated a first league win as manager, while Jordan Crawford, the man signed to replace Sembie-Ferris, scored a classy match-clinching goal in a thoroughly deserved 2-0 win.

Peterborough Sports goalscorer Maniche Sani (blue) in action against Brackley. Photo: David Lowndes

The quality of the result was emphasised by a couple of stats. It was just a fifth defeat of the season for Brackley and a win would have left them level on points with overnight league leaders King’s Lynn Town.

Sports conceded twice in the first five minutes when losing at Brackley earlier in the season, but they started both halves well in the return fixture.

Maniche Sani found himself clean through after four minutes, but was denied by a fine save and the visiting ‘keeper again excelled on 18 minutes to keep out an innovative backheeled effort from Josh McCammon.

Brackley had a couple of first-half opportunities themselves and Adam Rooney saw a goal chalked off for offside, but skipper for the day Richard Jones and fellow centre-back Ryan Fryatt generally defended their penalty area well.

Peterborough Sports player-manager Michael Gash (blue) in action v Brackley. Photo: David Lowndes

And Sports shot out of the blocks in the second-half to effectively clinch the points.

Gash started himself in this game and led from the front in outstanding fashion. The goal he deserved almost arrived two minutes after the break, but again an impressive goalkeeper stood in the way.

But four minutes later Gash could celebrate a goal for teammate Sani who was on hand to head home from close range after Jones had flicked on a corner.

And it was 2-0 just past the hour mark when Crawford, who had been a busy nuisance all afternoon to the left side of the Brackley defence, delivered a fine finish.

Brackley inevitably responded, but when they did breach a strong backline, goalkeeper Peter Crook was there to make three cracking saves, a remarkable double stop nine minutes from time sucked the remaining life out of the visitors.

Sports remain 14th in the table, but are now 12 points clear of the drop zone. If they dare to dream it’s just a four-point gap to the final play-off place.

Sports: Crook, Bazeley, Fryatt, R. Jones, Fox, Kennedy, Lawlor (sub Diadier Camara, 82), Crawford (sub Kayden Williams-Lowe, 76), Gash (sub M. Jones, 86), McCammon, Sani. Unused subs: Elsom, Johnson.

Attendance: 377