PREVIEW: Back-up boys give big boost to title chasing City of Peterborough

City of Peterborough 7ths before a heavy defeat at the hands of Kettering: Brian Walden, Joshua Haddon, Roan Pilsworth, Dan Barkworth, George Coxen, Steve Browning, Jack Howson, Phil Martin, Richard Herbage, front, Ed Das, Alex Wheatcroft, Scott Bamford, Dean Dugdale, Alistair Mortimer.

City moved up to second in the East Premier A Division with a 7-0 win at Saffron Walden last Saturday (November and followed that up with a 7-1 success at Rugby & East Warwicks in the first round of the First Tier event in the English Club Championships, a knockout competition that has replaced the HA Cup.

And it was the cup win which persuaded boss Graham Finding his team’s pursuit of success won’t depend entirely on the form and fitness of his big-name players.

“We had to call on three players from the club’s second team for the cup game,” Finding revealed. “And yet we still comfortably put to the sword a decent team. We played some scintillating hockey with six different players scoring.”

Action from City of Peterborough Ladies (red) v Loughborough Students.

Jordan Heald (2), Adam Wilson, Nathan Foad, Ben Read, Ben Newman and Joe Finding scored the City goals, but manager Finding was just as pleased with the display on debut of 15 year-old Nathan Rosario who helped create two of the goals.

Finding Junior scored four of the goals at Walden. Wilson (2) and Newman, who hadn’t scored this season before last weekend, were also on target.

City host mid-table Chelmsford at Bretton Gate tomorrow (November 18).

City of Peterborough Ladies were beaten twice at home last weekend. They failed to reach their normal levels during a 2-1 loss to West Herts in the Premier Division before a more predictable 4-1 beating at the hands of National League Loughborough Students in a First Tier match in the English Championships on Sunday.

Action from a cup match between City of Peterborough Ladies (red) v Loughborough Students.

City now drop into the second tier cup competition so there remains a chance of some silverware to mark an excellent, so far, campaign.

Anna Faux scored against West Herts, while Jeorgia Carr scored against the Students.

City, who are third in the Premier Division, should return to winning ways at bottom club Old Loughtonians tomorrow.

City seconds continued their good form with a superb 3-0 win at Division Two North title rivals Long Sutton last weekend. Jess Broadway, Hope Elkins and Holly Finding scored.

City’s male sevenths were crushed 9-1 at home by Kettering in Division Five. Phil Martin claimed the consolation goal. The sixths claimed their first win of the Division Four season, 3-2 at St Neots despite playing the last 10 minutes with nine men. Two-goal Wayne Humphries was one player sent to the sin bin.

Bourne Deeping men firsts are out of the bottom two in the Premier B Division after a second successive win. Andrew Fletcher scored the only goal of the game at Havering.

Bourne Deeping Ladies seconds beat Alford 12-0 in Division Four North West. Sarah Morgan-Walter scored six, a performance that earned her a spot in English hockey’s ‘team of the week.’