Relief for Peterborough Sports staff and players after threat of demotion eases, and now they will try and finish the season in style

Last year Sports were ordered to make significant ground improvements at the Bee Arena by March 31 or they would suffer an automatic relegation after just one season at National League North level.

But the arrival of a new club owner in Tim Woodward and the progress he has made in a short time at Sports persuaded the League to extend the deadline to April 30.

The club are confident the necessary work will be completed in time.

Woodward delivered the good news before Sports lost for the first time in eight games, 1-0 at home to Scarborough Athletic on Tuesday night.

"Tim told the players before the Scarborough game we had an extension,” Gash revealed. “And it was a relief as well as a boost for us all.

"The threat of demotion was very real and would have been awful after all the hard work and progress on the pitch.

"But Tim has worked wonders in a short time at the club. He's already spent plenty of his own money and we are grateful to him.

"It’s a shame we couldn’t keep the run going on the pitch, but we played okay. We had the better of the half-chances, but lost to an excellent free kick.

"It was frustrating, but we just have to start another run now and see where we end up.”

Sports now host in-form Alfreton Town on Good Friday (3pm) before visiting Banbury United on Easter Monday. The city side are four points outside the play-off places with five games to go, although their participation in the post-season matches is not guaranteed because of the ground situation.

"Alfreton are flying in and around the play-off places and Banbury had a great result on Tuesday night so it’s another tough couple of games,” Gash added.

Top forward Jordan Nicholson faces a late fitness test on a back problem ahead of the Easter programme, but striker Mark Jones is fit and available.