Peterborough Sports' players deserve bigger crowds, but the club's injury list keeps on growing

A crowd of just 210 watched Sports fight out a 0-0 draw with Chorley in the National League North at the Bee Arena on Saturday to continue an impressive start to their first season as a step two club. There were more supporters (288) watching United Counties Division One sides Blackstones and Bourne do battle in the FA Vase.

The city side host Curzon Ashton in another league game on Tuesday (October 25, 7.45pm) when a clash with Peterborough United’s League One fixture with Accrington Stanley at London Road won’t help get punters through the turnstiles.

Injuries to key forwards have forced Sports into a more cautious approach for now. The city side became embroiled in a dull 0-0 draw against Chorley at the Bee Arena on Saturday in a game of few chances.

Sports looked to have a great chance to win the game when the visitors suffered a straight red card 15 minutes from time for a challenge on Nathan Fox manager Jimmy Dean described as ‘naughty.’

But Fox was himself forced off through injury when Sports had used all their substitutes meaning it was 10-a-side in the final stages.

Forwards Mark Jones, Jordan Nicholson and Ky Marsh-Brown all missed the match. Marsh-Brown has left hospital, but has now been diagnosed with pneumonia.

"The red card incident just about summed the game up,” Dean said. “It was a naughty challenge which stopped us going on the counter attack and we didn’t even get the advantage of the extra man for the last 25 minutes.

"It was poor game all told and we’ve had to change our approach because of our injuries. We were the top scorers in the division until a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve now lost Ky Marsh-Brown for a time as well as Jordan Nicholson to a broken leg.

"We decided to try and stay in the game and then just nick a goal, and it almost worked as we had three or four good scoring chances and they had just one.

"We are lacking a goalscorer currently, but if we can’t win a game it’s important we don’t lose and the lads put a good shift in to make sure we got a point.

"The crowd was disappointing on Saturday and the lads aren’t really getting the level of support they deserve. If anything the crowd size just emphasises how well we are doing just to compete at this level.

"There was a big local FA Vase game which didn’t help us, but good luck to those clubs and their fans as that was big game between two teams doing well.

"It is what it is as far as we are concerned though. We just have to get on with things.”

Curzon Ashton moved above 13th-placed Sports on goal difference after beating Boston United yesterday.

"They’re in good form and will be tough to beat,” Dean added. “But it’s a long way for them to travel on a Tuesday so we have to make that work to our advantage.”

Fox will join the absentee list for Tuesday’s game as he had 10 stitches in a foot wound. Dean is considering finding a short-term replacement.