The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Simmering Sports are bubbling along nicely
Peterborough Sports manager Jimmy Dean believes his team are simmering nicely as preparations for the 2021-22 Southern League Premier Central Division campaign gather pace.
Sports will open the new league season with a tough fixture at home to Rushall Olympic on August 14, but testing friendlies for the next couple of weeks should get a strong squad in perfect shape for the big day.
Sports host top Northern Premier League side Mickloever Sports at the Bee Arena on Saturday (3pm) before a home game with Cambridge City on Tuesday (7.45pm).
The city side also have games lined up against neighbours Stamford AFC, a Bishop’s Stortford side who reached the first round proper of the FA Cup last season and higher level Braintree.
Not that big non-league names faze Sports. Last Saturday they beat the Concord Rangers side who contested an FA Trophy Final recently 4-1, before thumping Stotfold 6-1 on Tuesday.
“We’ve picked up nicely in the last couple of weeks,”
Dean stated. “You’re never sure where you’re at until you start testing yourself with hard games and we did that on Saturday against a team from a higher level and looked good.
“We were good value for the win and on Tuesday we could have easily reached double figures.”
Dion Sembie-Ferris scored twice against Concord, with Lewis Hilliard and Jake Battersby also on target, Batters
by is the son of former Football League striker Tony, and is on trial having left Cambridge United’s Academy.
Jordan Nicholson bagged a hat-trick at Stotfold with Sembie-Ferris, Lewis Hilliard and the home ‘keeper also netting.
A knee injury to forward Maniche Sani is Sports’ only current worry.
Stamford AFC beat League •
Two side Northampton Town
2-1 defeat at the Zeeco Stadium last weekend. Cameron Johnson and James Blunden scored the goals.
Spalding beat a young •
Grimsby Town side 2-0 in the quarter-final of the Lincs Senior Cup last weekend.
Gregg Smith and Lewis Brownhill scored for the Tulips, but ex-Posh star Marcus Maddison missed the game because of injury.