Peterborough Sports' players lauded for a great start to the National League North season ahead of two more tough matches

The city side have exceeded many expectations – lncluding their own – by picking up 10 points from their first 10 matches in the first step two season in the club’s history.

They thrashed Blyth Spartans 4-0 at home last Saturday to collect a third win of the campaign.

That’s a good enough haul for 10th place ahead of another awkward couple of games at Brackley on Saturday and then at home to old Southern League foes Banbury United at the Bee Arena on Tuesday (September 13, 7,45pm).

Brackley are three places below Sports on goal difference, but are old hands at this level.

Banbury who finished top of the Southern League Premier Division Central last season, with Sports in second, have started the new season in brilliant form to sit second behind King’s Lynn Town.

Banbury sold winger Morgan Roberts, who scored against Sports at the Bee Arena last season, to League Two Swindon Town on transfer deadline day.

"It’s great to see the newly-promoted clubs doing so well,” Dean said. “It just gives me more confidence that we can survive at this level. Banbury have been brilliant, while Scarborough Athletic, who were also promoted last season, are fourth.

"Certainly if I’d have been offered 10 points after seven games I’d have taken it without hesitation and all credit to the players for adapting so well to the higher standard.

"We only signed four new players in the summer and one of them, Peter Crook, was with us on loan. We also brought in Connor Kennedy and Connor Johnson from Kettering who knew the level well and Nathan Fox from Buxton who has been outstanding at left-back.

"It is a much tougher standard of football this season. We all know that, but we haven’t been frightened by it. Instead we’ve embraced it and that’s what we will continue to do.

"It is a very long season and no-one is getting carried away, but we’ve done well so far.

"To bounce back like we did against Blyth after a rough Bank Holiday weekend was impressive. We were ouclassed by Kidderminster and robbed by King’s Lynn, but we put the disappointments behind us quickly.

"Brackley will be tough. They haven’t let a goal in for three games and won two of them 1-0.

"They beat Kidderminster after we lost to them, but we will compete as we will on Tuesday against Banbury.

"Home games are going to be very important for us this season.”