City of Peterborough men are almost at the point of no return and a big cup match for the club's ladies team this weekend

Gareth Andrew (red) scored twice for City of Peterborough at Barford Tigers

City fought back from 3-0 down to 3-2 at third placed Barford Tigers before accepting a ninth defeat in 12 Midlands Conference games last weekend.

So many of those losses have followed closely-contested affairs, but the bare fact is bottom club City are seven points from safety with just six matches to go, starting with Sunday’s trip to Norwich City who won 8-3 at Bretton Gate earlier in the season, the one horrific result of the season.

The following two matches see City host their closest rivals Bedford and St Albans, games that must be won to have any chance of avoiding the drop.

Barford led City 3-0 at the break, but two Gareth Andrew goals made for a nervy finale for the hosts who just managed to hold on.

Standings

Nott Uni 12 10 1 1 31

Stourport 12 8 3 1 27

Barford T 12 7 2 3 23

Norwich C 12 6 3 3 21

Harleston 12 4 2 6 14

Banbury 12 3 5 4 14

Birm Uni 12 3 3 6 12

St Albans 12 3 3 6 12

Bedford 12 2 2 8 8

City P’boro 12 1 2 9 5

City seconds gained a creditable East Division One point at Pelicans. Henry Rickets scored for City in a 1-1 draw, but City have slipped to fifth after a 6-3 win for local rivals Spalding over Ipswich.

City of Peterborough Ladies lost for the first time in five East Premier Division matches, 3-1 at high-flying Harleston Magpies.

Sophie Watts scored the goal for City who are above the final relegation place on goal difference.

The East League is on a break this weekend apart from re-arranged matches following weather postponements, but City have a big National Tier Two Cup match at home to Loughborough Town on Saturday (1pm).

Standings

(Bottom half)

Cambridge C 17 5 4 8 19

Upminster 17 4 5 8 17

Blueharts 16 4 3 9 15

City P’boro 16 4 1 11 13

Chelmsford 17 3 4 10 13

Dereham 17 1 3 13 6

In Division One City seconds came from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 with Wisbech firsts thanks to goals from Scarlett Walker, Laura Thompson-Wright and Lily Craven.

In Division Two City thirds delivered an eye-catching 5-1 win at previously unbeaten St Neots as Laura Andrew hit a brilliant hat-trick and Monica Augustine-Ohwo struck twice.

And it’s two Division Five wins in a row for City fifths as Amy Seaton claimed her first league goal in a 1-0 success at Ely.

Bourne Deeping stayed top of Division Three after a 6-2 success at Huntingdon & Northstowe, but third-placed Spalding seconds will jump to the summit with a win at Ely this Saturday.