You can't buy the levels of commitment and spirit nine-man Peterborough Sports displayed against Curzon Ashton

Indeed money can’t buy the levels of spirit and pluck the city side displayed in holding Curzon Ashton to a 1-1 draw at PIMS Park on Tuesday night.

Sports could have been forgiven for sulking after losing centre-back Connor Johnson to a second-minute red card, but they chose resilience instead against slick opponents who downed the mighty Scunthorpe United last month.

For 90 minutes they played a man down and even had the temerity to take a 69th minute lead through Dan Lawlor. A high-class equaliser from visiting skipper Craig Mahon just three minutes later was another body blow the hosts absorbed and a red card for on loan Peterborough United defender Ashton Fox in the 90th minute just led to increased levels of defiance from the nine men throughout an agonising eight added minutes.

In truth Curzon created very little. They became worn out knocking on the door of the 18 yard box without ever gaining entry. It took a 20 yarder into the top corner from Mahon – a two-time Accrington Stanley player – to give the visitors a point they looked to have chucked away when Lawlor pounced on a terrible back-pass to give Sports the lead.

Lawlor was perhaps fortunate not to also receive a red card in the aftermath of Fox’s dismissal. It looked harsh on a centre-back who had played superbly. It was a cynical trip on halfway after Curzon broke away from a home corner, but referee Lee Hible didn’t hesitate to wave his second red card of the night which led to Lawlor shoving an interfering opponent to the ground.

By then Hible had well and truly lost the plot. He peaked early by correctly judging Johnson guilty of serious foul play after an awful lunge into an opponent, but he was weak in the face of non-stop dissent and seemed happiest when sprinting away from confrontations.

Sports will be disappointed they didn’t hold on to their lead for longer, but pride should be their overwhelming emotion. Curzon pinged the ball about swiftly before the break against a team with a centre forward in Michael Gash now one of two centre-backs, but Sports protected goalkeeper Peter Crook impressively.

Curzon missed the target from the edge of the area on many occasions, but once Crook had saved well at the start of the second-half Sports began to fancy their chances.

They broke at pace with Ben Fowkes and Josh McCammon willing runners while behind them Lawlor and Roddy McGlinchey delivered probing passes.

Naturally Curzon had their moments and shot narrowly wide on a couple of occasions, but they never carved Sports open. Matty Miles and debutant Cuba Meyer were tireless defenders on the flanks as Sports clung on for a well deserved share of the spoils.

Sports stayed 19th, just one points and two places above the drop zone ahead of a tough Saturday trip to second-paced Tamworth.

Johnson and Fox will be eligible for that game as National League suspensions apparently don’t kick in for a week, but new forward Harrison Nee might be unavailable after limping off just before the break.

Sports: Peter Crook 7, Matty Miles 8, Cuba Meyer 8, Ashton Fox 8, Michael Gash 7, Connor Johnson 4, Dan Lawlor 8, Josh McCammon 7, Roddy McGlinchey 7 (sub Hugh Alban Jones, 73 mins), Harrison Nee 6 (sub Dan Jarvis 45 mins), Ben Fowkes 7 (sub Mark Jones, 88 mins). Unused subs Jordan Nicholson, Lewis Elsom.

Curzon Ashton: Mason Cameron, Marcus Poscha, Devon Matthews, Isaac Sinclair, James Spencer, Will Hayhurst, Miles Storey, Geore Waring, Jordan Richards, Criag Mahon, Adam Barton. Subs: Alex Kenyon, Sam Walker, Joshua Ollerenshaw, Stefan Mols.

Goals: Sports – Lawlor (69 mins).

Curzon – Mahon (72 mins).

Sendings off: Sports – Johnson (serious foul play), Fox (serious foul play).

Cautions: Sports – Lawlor (unsportsmanlike conduct), Miles (foul), Crook (dissent).

Curzon – Spencer (dissent), Waring (unsportsmanlike conduct).

Referee: Lee Hible 4.

Attendance: 268.