Peterborough Sports denied victory right at the death in tight affair at Alfreton

Peterborough Sports had victory snatched from them in stoppage time away at Alfreton Town to draw 2-2 on Tuesday evening (September 27).
A Dan Lawlor penalty gave Peterborough Sports a late lead at Alfreton Town. Photo: James Richardson.A Dan Lawlor penalty gave Peterborough Sports a late lead at Alfreton Town. Photo: James Richardson.
A Dan Lawlor penalty gave Peterborough Sports a late lead at Alfreton Town. Photo: James Richardson.

Peterborough Sports thought they had picked up their second away win of the season until their hearts were broken in fourth of five added minutes by a Dominic Smith header after a scramble at a corner.

Sports had rallied brilliantly after a low-key first half had seen them trail 1-0 at the break. In the second half, they committed plenty of men forward and were rewarded with an equaliser through a Ryan Fryatt header from a corner. Sports pushed on for a winner and came close before a handball decision gave them a penalty with just four minutes of normal time remaining.

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Lawlor buried the kick to give Sports hope of a win but in reality, there was little between the sides with a draw perhaps being fair.

As it is, Sports still avoided defeat on the road for only the second time this season. They still slid down the table though with the sides that started 9th and 10th at the start of the night, ending it 11th and 12th respectively.

Sports made three changes from the team beaten at Darlington on Saturday with Kayden Williams-Lowe, Michael Gash and Connor Johnson going out- Johnson starting a three-game suspension after an appeal against his red card against Redditch in the FA Cup was turned down. They were replaced by Richard Jones, Mark Jones and Josh McCammon coming in.

They started the match the brighter and were in behind in just the second minute when Dion Sembie-Ferris headed Josh McCammon clear on the right. He could only skew his shot wide though. They continued to look bright on the break in the opening ten minutes and from a long ball over the top, Sembie-Ferris showed off his pace to breeze past two centre-backs to create a glorious chance for himself. Unfortunately for Sports, he could only put his effort, when one-on-one right at the home keeper.

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The game then settled into a pattern that saw few chances created with the Sports backline dealing well with the long ball tactics of Alfreton. Ex-Lincoln forward Matt Rhead was making a nuisance of himself and as the half drew to a close, he helped to wrestle the momentum towards the home side.

He headed a good chance wide just minutes before Sports were caught napping by a bright run from Preston into the box, who buried his effort, after a good run, across Peter Crook and into the bottom right corner.

The hosts really began to dominate the ball in the opening exchanges of the second half but were stunned by a Sports equaliser set up by great work from Kyjuon Marsh-Brown on the left to win the corner. The delivery from Dan Lawlor was pinpoint and Fryatt had an easy job heading it home.

They nearly went back behind immediately when the backline switched off to allow Bailey Hobson to be played in behind on the right and were lucky his finish was poor.

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A mad five minutes was capped by a Connor Kennedy having to be tipped round the post after a nice cross from Sembie-Ferris.

Sports pushed hard for a winner and were given the perfect opportunity to take all three points when Dwayne Wiley was penalised for a handball as he challenged for the ball with Maniche Sani. Lawlor then placed his effort perfectly into the corner.

They could not hold on though with the ball from the corner eventually deflecting in off Smith. They could, however, have claimed an even more dramatic victory with the final action of the game seeing Sembie-Ferris have a header expertly tipped wide by George Willis at full-stretch.

Peterborough Sports: Peter Crook, Connor Kennedy, Nathan Fox, Richard Jones, Ryan Fryatt, Dan Lawlor, Dion Sembie-Ferris, Lamine Sherif (Lewis Hilliard 63 mins), Josh McCammon (Maniche Sani 75 mins), Kyjoun Marsh-Brown, Mark Jones (Michael Gash 63 mins)

Unused subs: Lewis Elsom

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Alfreton: George Willis, Josh Clackstone, George Cantrill (Conor Branson 63 mins), Ahmed Salam (Lewis Whitham 66 mins), Dominic Smith, Dwayne Wiley, Fraser Preston, Adam Lund, Danny Preston, Bailey Hobson, Matt Rhead

Unused subs: Jake Askew, Luke Ward, Henri Wilder

Cautions: Sports- Kenndey (foul)

Goals: Sports – Fryatt (57 mins), Lawlor (87 mins)

Alfreton – Preston (37 mins)

Referee: Dean Watson

Attendance: 363

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