Peterborough Sports sink Bath City in the FA Trophy as incredible club-record run continues

Neither side had played so far this year and a combination of self-isolating and injuries meant that the hosts were a couple of players short, though not as many as their performance might suggest, whilst Sports were able to turn out the same starting 11 for the fourth game in this competition on the spin

Sports were in the ascendency from the off with a number of half chances, with Josh Moreman in particular having a field day down the left hand side. It was the hosts however who had the clearest opening on seven minutes when a Tom Richards header at the far post was nonchalantly turned over by Sports keeper Lewis Moat which ended up being the hardest bit of work that he had to deal with all afternoon.

Man-of-the-match Richard Jones then set up Maniche Sani who saw his shot saved by the outstretched legs of home custodian Will Henry, with the former Swindon Town stopper making a fine smothering save with his legs. Sports continued to press for an opening goal, with the influential Lewis Hilliard coming closest on 27 minutes with a 25-yard free kick that bounced back off the crossbar.

The Turbines forced a series of corners, with the long throw threat of Jonny Herd, who pushed Jones close for man-of-the-match, causing additional problems for the beleaguered home defence. Just when it looked like Bath from the National South League were going to get in level at the break the Turbines finally scored in stoppage time.

Sani won the ball in the middle of the park and advanced forward. Mark Jones showed him where to put the through ball, Sani obliged, and Jones squeezed his shot neatly past Henry at the near post for a more than deserved opener.

Bath switched to a back four in the second half which was more of an even contest, but not much, and not a great deal happened until midfielder Tom Mayhew was given an early Bath for Bath after a second yellow card for a foul on Dan Lawlor, who was the only Sports player cautioned and walked a tightrope himself a little.

Apart from a single half chance from lone striker Tom Conway, that was smothered by a combination of Moat and the visiting defence, plus a couple of probing efforts from the hosts star man Tom Smith, the Turbines saw this out with the pipe and slippers on the go.

They really should have extended the lead, with Mark Jones missing a glorious chance with a close range header from a Sembie-Ferris cross, and Sembie Ferris himself poking wide after being set clear by Sani. Sembie-Ferris had a fierce cross shot go narrowly wide, but in the end the missed chances counted for nothing with the visitors’ long trip home soothed by such a smooth passage.

Sports had never before ventured past the first round of the FA Trophy. Now they can look forward to a fifth round tie.

Sports: 1. Lewis Moat, 2.Matty Miles, 3. Jonny Herd, 4. Brad McGowan, 5. Richard Jones, 6. Dan Lawlor, 7. Dion Sembie Ferris (sub Dan Jarvis 90mins), 8. Lewis Hilliard (sub Josh McGowan 60mins), 9. Mark Jones, 10. Maniche Sani, 11. Josh Moreman (Jordan Nicholson 60 mins)

Goal – Mark Jones (45+2)