Peterborough Sports left to rue controversial penalty decision and lack of clinical finishing in opening day draw
Peterborough Sports began life back in the Southern League Premier Division Central with a 1-1 draw away at Racing Club Warwick on Saturday.
It was also Graham Drury’s first match in charge of the club and he took his side to Warwickshire to face newly-promoted RC Warwick.
A completely new-look Sports got off to the perfect start with with a goal after just three minutes. George Hobbins intercepted the ball on the edge of the box and found Charlie Marzano. He played it out to Harvey Williams on the right, who struck low and hard to register a debut goal.
Sports felt they should have had a penalty after 15 minute when Williams was felled in the box but were left incredulous when the referee booked Williams for diving.
Leon Lobjoit and Jack Duffy went close for Sports before RC Warwick began to grow into the game. The hosts grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of half time when Kieran Cooney fired a header past Tom Jackson on the stroke of half time.
The Turbines had a late chance to grab a late winner with the ball falling to Jack Duffy inside the box but his effort deflected wide past the post.
MANAGER REACTION
Drury said: “The first 20 minutes, we were well in control. We’ve gone 1-0 up and I don’t know where the referee has dreamt that’s not a penalty. At 2-0, the game would probably have been a comfortable afternoon.
"He’s the only one in the ground that thinks it wasn’t. Their manager has seen the video back and said it’s a definite penalty but we can’t rely on that.
"We’ve had 20 minutes of controlling the game then got into a 25 minute scrap, which gave them confidence. Too many touches in the middle of the pitch allowed them to rob us and get us on the back foot too many times. We’ve been caught today and given them the desire to think they can get something from the game.
“All second half they’ve sat in and tried to play on the counter against us but we’ve had a lot of chances to win and and unfortunately, it’s not fallen to the prolific one in Leon.
“We threw everything at it and we really had them on the backfoot but we just couldn’t get the goal.”
Sports now face a double header at home with Real Bedford at home on Tuesday (August 11) and Stourbridge on Saturday (August 15).
NEW SIGNING
Ahead of the match, Sports secured the signing of versatile defender Lewis Green.
The former Coventry City youth player spent four years in the United States with Missouri State Bears before joining Bedford Town in 2023 where he made close to 100 appearances and spent time on loan last season to Bromsgrove Sporting.
Green appeared throughout pre-season for the Turbines, and signs for Graham Drury’s side following a successful trial period.
Drury added: “Lewis adds great depth to our defence and holding midfield areas. He will add experience to the team having won at this level previously as well as playing at Step 2 level.”