Peterborough Sports had nothing to show for a spirited display at promotion chasers

Sports went down 2-0 after conceding first-half goals to Luke Daley and former Peterborough United striker David Ball.

Luke Miller bagged his 11th goal of the season 18 minutes from time to give the city side hope, but they couldn’t find an equaliser after going close twice in the final stages.

Sports remain 20th, one place and two points clear of the relegation zone ahead of a big game at fellow strugglers Bedford Town on Tuesday. Bedford were 2-0 winners over Chorley today.

Radcliffe broke the deadlock on 12 minutes as goalkeeper Sam Edwards – regular number one Peter Crook was not in the matchday squad – made an initial stop, but Daley converted the rebound.

The hosts continued to threaten with Charlie Hickingbottom blocking Rio Clegg’s effort before Michael Afuye curled wide of the target.

Connor Wood drove a low effort wide of the target just before the half hour mark as Sports started to make an impression. Miller had chances to equalise with an effort that just cleared the crossbar and then with shot that deflected wide.

But the hosts extended their lead in the 43rd minute on the counter-attack with Ball supplying a tidy finish.

The Turbines had the chance to halve the deficit on the stroke of half-time as Marcel Oakley found Miller inside the six-yard box, but his effort was saved on the line by goalkeeper Mateus Hewelt.

Phil Brown’s side started the second half strongly as Miller and Shaun Jeffers saw efforts blocked within minutes of the restart.

The Turbines continued to create chances as substitute Max Booth cut inside on the right, found Miller who delivered a lobbed pass over the defence to Shaq Coulthirst, but his effort was tipped around the post by Hewelt.

Miller reduced the deficit on 72 minutes as he met Mustapha Carayol’s cross inside the box before firing past Hewelt.

Substitutes Booth and Coulthirst then combined for ‘The Turbines’ with the latter seeing his effort deflect wide of the post, before Jez Davies intercepted a pass on the edge of the box, but wasn’t able to test Hewelt.

And in added time Miller saw his effort blocked inside the six-yard box before Wood dragged his effort inches wide of the post with the final action of the game.

It was a case of so near yet so far for Sports.

Sports: Edwards, Oakley, Hickingbottom, Willis, Wood, Whitehouse (sub 57 mins, Jarvis), McLintock (sub 78 mins, Davies), Cadogan (sub 63 mins, Booth), Carayol (sub 81 mins, Felix), Miller, Jeffers (sub 63 mins, Coulthirst).

Unused subs: Price, Powell.

Radcliffe: Hewelt, McFadzean, Smith, Hulme (sub 75 mins, Jackson), Afuye (sub 67 mins, Maynard), Roscoe, Clegg (sub 75 mins, Dudley), Gardner (sub 67 mins, Greenfield), Daley, Scales, Ball (sub 89 mins, Sargent).

Unused subs: Halstead, James.

Attendance: 772.