Pride quickly followed disappointment for Peterborough Sports at Darlington and now they head out on the Wembley trail
Once the disappointment of conceding a stoppage time equaliser had subsided, there was much to admire for the Peterborough Sports management at Darlington on Tuesday night.
Sports were minutes away from celebrating a third straight National League North win when their hosts grabbed a 92nd-minute equaliser from a free-kick. The 2-2 draw did though lift Sports a point and a place further away from the relegation zone and they now can take a breather from league pressures and plan for a second round FA Trophy tie at home to Chelmsford City on Saturday (3pm).
“We were all a bit down straight after the final whistle,” Sports joint-boss Michael Gash said: “A stoppage-time equaliser will do that to you. It was hard to take and It felt like a loss because we had played so well and come so close to getting a win we deserved, but we told the players in the dressing room to be proud of how they played. It was a seriously impressive display as we got the tempo, the intensity and the quality just right.
"We are nowhere near the finished article, but the signs are so promising. The penny has dropped with the players who are all now buying into what we want from them. Everyone is now pulling in the right direction and the belief in the squad is growing as a result. To get seven points from three tough games in eight days was a very good return.
"Darlington did have as couple of half chances early on, but once we scored we were comfortable and we caused them no end of problems. The front two (MIchael Gyasi and Kaine Felix) were so dangerous running in behind with their pace, but their hold-up play was also very good. We looked a very good side.”
Gyasi and Kaine scored the Sports goals. The city side returns to National League action at home to Spennymoor Town on November 23, but first up it’s the FA Trophy and Sports don’t mind admitting they have Wembley on their minds. They embarked on a club record run to the quarter-finals last season where they were narrowly beaten by National League side Gateshead who went on to win the competition. Sports beat then National League sides Dagenham & Redbridge and Kidderminster Harriers before losing 3-2 at Gateshead.
Sports will be without on-loan Barnsley teenager Bayley McCann who will serve a one-match suspension. McCann has been excelling as a left wing-back. Sports are still trying to recruit extra bodies. They had two goalkeepers on a five-man substitutes’ bench last night
"Bayley will be a big loss as he’s been doing so well,” Gash added. "We’ll have to juggle things around a bit, but there’s a final at Wembley in the Trophy so of course we want to do well in the competition again. We play at the highest level bar the National League clubs so with good luck and good draws anything could happen.
"Wembley might seem a long way off right now, but a lot of the National League clubs field weaker teams in the Trophy so you never know. We got close last season, although we have a tough first game though with the binus being we’re at home.”
Chelmsford play at the same level as Sports and boast a similar playing record and league position.