Peterborough Sports surge towards the play-offs after making Banbury cross, while Deeping Rangers management team have quit

Goals from in-form midfielder Dan Jarvis, centre-forward Mark Jones and a first for the club from centre-back Rory McAuley delivered a 3-0 win and moved Sports up to 14th place, just nine points outside the play-offs, but now 10 points clear of the drop zone.

Lillianna Armstrong reports from Banbury…

Peterborough Sports made it 3 wins in the space of a week with a convincing 3-0 victory over struggling Banbury United. As the games continue to come thick and fast, ‘The Turbines’ do not seem fazed by their busy fixture schedule.

Joint managers, Luke Steele and Michael Gash, chose to field the same XI and name the same substitutes’ bench from the 4-0 win over Rushall Olympic at the weekend. Mark Jones led the line once again alongside Posh loanee Gabriel Overton and Rory McAuley and Ryan Fryatt continued in defence.

The game began fairly evenly with both sides battling for possession and having some half chances. Josh McCammon had a good chance on 14 minutes to put Sports ahead, but he didn’t have enough time to get his shot away in the area before the danger was cleared.

The home side then had a great chance of their own a few minutes later when Oxford United loanee Aidan Elliott-Wheeler was found in plenty of space on the right hand side, but his effort was well stopped by Sports’ ‘keeper Peter Crook.

It was Elliott-Wheeler who was the victim of a straight red card on 21 minutes when he committed a last man challenge on McCammon as he raced towards goal. This was certainly the turning point in the game as from here Sports dominated.

The chances were flowing for Sports as both Hugh Alban-Jones and Lincoln City loanee Elicha Ahui had chances. However, it was the man in form, Dan Jarvis who put ‘The Turbines’ ahead just after the half hour mark. The midfielder did well to take the ball onto his left foot just inside the area and slot the ball home to get his 4th goal in 3 games.

Another player in form, McCammon was given the freedom to run at the Banbury defensive line throughout the evening and he saw another great opportunity go begging on 37 minutes when his close range effort was well saved. Sports went into the half time interval with just the one goal advantage.

Sports came out of the half time interval in the same vein that they finished the first half and they were duly rewarded with a second goal just 3 minutes after the restart. A cross from McCammon found captain Mark Jones on the penalty spot and he was gifted with a tap in on 48 minutes.

It could have been 3-0 on 66 minutes when Rory McAuley headed in a corner, but the referee ruled the goal out for a foul in the area. Overton had a brilliant opportunity to get his first goal for the club on 71 minutes when Jarvis found him in space with a neat ball over the top but the Banbury keeper Harding made a very good save to deny him his chance.

Banbury had the best of their chances in the last 10 minutes of the game, but the Sports defence stood firm and cleared up any danger well. The icing on the cake was added to a very positive performance in the fifth minute of added time when McAuley headed home another corner once again, which was this time allowed to stand, to get him his first goal in orange and black and Sports’ third of the evening.’

Sports: Peter Crook, Elicha Ahui, Ryan Fryatt, Dan Lawlor, Josh McCammon, Mark Jones (sub Ben Fowkes 83’), Dan Jarvis, Hugh Alban-Jones, Ashton Fox (sub Connor Johnson 64’), Rory McAuley, Gabriel Overton (sub Kaine Felix 81’). Subs unused Miles & Pereira.

Deeping Rangers joint managers Luke Hipwell and Scott Bogusz dramatically quit on Tuesday night.

Johnny Alflatt will run the side until the end of the season. Deeping are currently seventh in the United Counties Premier Division North, six points outside the play-offs after a 2-1 loss at Newark & Sherwood United last weekend.

Deeping are at mid-table Heanor this Saturday.