Peterborough Sports have a perfect opportunity to put a marker down by climbing out of the relegation zone
Manager Phil Brown admits Peterborough Sports have a great opportunity to put a marker down in front of the rest of National League North.
The city side have won both of their home games since Brown arrived – including a superb 2-1 win against the manager’s old club Kidderminster Harriers – and they now have two games in quick succession at PIMS Park. They host fellow bottom four club Alfreton on Saturday (3pm kick off) before entertaining mid-table Buxton next Tuesday (October 21, 7.45pm).
It appears to be the perfect chance to clamber out of the relegation spots. Sports are next-to-bottom, but only two points from a place of safety, and they have at least one game in hand against all the teams above them.
Sports didn’t play last weekend so Brown organised a practice match for 24 players and he now has a selection headache. Former Peterborough United striker Shaquile Coulthirst is available for the first time this season after recovering from injury and speedy forward Kaine Felix is looking sharp after returning against Kidderminster.
Brown has also urged his players to repeat the levels of commitment and skill they showed to defeat KIdderminster last time out.
"Competition for places is much better now than when I got here,” Brown told Peterborough Community Radio. “We have players coming out of the treatment room and we have signed six new ones. It’s going to be a headache picking the substitutes never mind picking the team, but it’s a good headache to have.
"The mood is great as you’d expect after a good victory against a team no-one expected us to beat. We’ve now won both home games since the new management came in, but that doesn’t mean it’s job done. We have to make sure we work that hard in every game we play.
"We do have two good opportunities to put a marker down and if our mindset is right we will have a chance to win again. If the players put sweat on the shirt we will give our opponents a run for their money.
“First and foremost we have to work harder than our opponents. We are in the position we are in for a reason and when you finish a game and look at the league table it can an adverse effect on you mentally. We need to change that by wearing our shirt with pride and playing with enough gumption to win games of football.”
Experienced players Michael Gash, Ryan Fryatt and Mark Jones remain sidelined.