Riverside clinch another promotion to reach top flight

CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE RIVERSIDE Rovers are on their way to the Premier Division.

The city lads completed a quickfire honours double when adding the Division One title to their PFA Challenge Cup crown thanks to a 4-1 success at Moulton Harrox Reserves on Friday night.

It continues a meteoric rise into the local top flight for Riverside who have won promotion in both their seasons in senior football.

But manager Simon Benton does not expect their charge to stop now. He has already set his sights on more success next season.

Benton said: “It is terrific to have taken the club from nowhere to the Premier Division in just two years of playing adult football and we will be going in there with the aim of trying to win the title.

“I don’t mean any disrespect to the teams already playing in the Premier Division but no mountain is insurmountable.

“I know where I want to take the club and hopefully this is just the start of a good future for Riverside.

“There was a look of shock on the lads’ faces though when I told them they will only have two weeks off before we start preparing for next season.

“We finish this season on May 19 and we’re back for preseason training at the beginning of June.”

Dan Fountain (2), Kyle Orange and Martyn Fox hit the goals as Riverside, who are unbeaten locally since October, saw off the Harrox second string to wrap up the title with three matches to spare.

“The scoreline was somewhat flattering, but we have some very clinical players in the likes of Dan and Kyle,” added Benton.

“We knew we had four matches to pick up the two points we needed, but it is nice to get it done and dusted in the first of them.

“We had another cause for celebration on Saturday when our lead coach Tom Erskine passed his UEFA B coaching badge.”

The Division One crown is the second title now in pos- session of the city club after their reserve side roared to Division Five glory as part of their own double triumph.

It’s also the fourth Peterborough League title to be settled so far this season with Langtoft Reserves having secured the Division Three spoils and Woodston Dynamo entering senior football in fine style by grabbing the Division Four gong.

The Premier Division title race is far from over though as Kings Cliffe still hold hopes of reeling in table-topping double-chasers Pinchbeck.

Cliffe kept their dream alive with a 4-0 success at Coates on Saturday while PFA Senior Cup winners Pinchbeck maintained their three-point cushion at the summit by thumping rock-bottom Alconbury 10-0 on their return to league action.

Cup final match-winner Tom Gosling led the way for the Lincolnshire lads with a hat-trick.

STILTON are stuttering in their pursuit of Premier Division football.

Thomas Douse’s side, who have lifted two Hunts county cups this season, could only

PETERBOROUGH Sports Reserves zoomed to promotion from Division Three by sinking the champions.

Ian ‘Maccasports’ Mcintosh’s men roared to a 5-0 final day success at Langtoft Reserves to follow them into Division Two next season.

James Moore hit a hat-trick and Daniel Beeby struck twice for the city lads as they wrapped up second spot.

Mcintosh, who has turned around their fortunes since taking charge in December, said: “The lads have fought hard draw 2-2 at strugglers FC Inter in their penultimate Division One match. Nick Lee and Richard Baines ensured they shared the spoils but secondplaced Stilton still aren’t over the line.

They could be dramatically collared by Holbeach Reserves – a team currently 14 points behind them but armed with five matches in hand.

The Tigers second string face a hectic end to the campaign though as they must cram their six outstanding matches into just 11 days, starting when they host lowly Hampton Sports tomorrow.

for each other to make my job easier.”

COATES Reserves missed the chance to grab automatic promotion from Division Four.

The Coates second string had to win their final match of the campaign at Ketton Reserves on Wednesday to snatch second place and follow champions Woodston Dynamo up into Division Three.

But Dave Moore’s men could only manage a 1-1 draw meaning they failed to leapfrog second-placed Baston (who

RICKY Pozella stole the show with a five-star scoring spree as Ryhall United toasted their return to the Peterborough & District League in fine style.

Pozella did the damage as the village lads clinched promotion from Division Two with a 5-0 win at Woodston on Wednesday night.

And now James Sheehan’s side need only a point from their remaining game away at Eye Sports & Social Reserves this Wednesday to pip the long-time leaders Castor & Ailsworth to the title crown. have clinched promotion in their debut season) and had to settle for a place in the play-offs.

But they bounced back in style when sinking Peterborough Rovers Reserves 6-2 in a play-off semi-final clash on Saturday. Rik Green and player-boss Moore both hit hat-tricks to set-up a final against Kings Cliffe Reserves later this month.

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