The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
City are on the verge of promotion after vital win
City of Peterborough have one foot in National League Division One after a nail-biting play-off match at Bretton Gate on Saturday.
City beat Fareham 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Joe Finding, but the result actually suited both teams.
It’s a three-team play-off with the top two qualifying for Division One in a restructured National League in 2019 and Fareham had already beaten Preston 3-1 in their opening match.
There is now no result when City travel to Preston on April 28 that can knock Fareham out of the top two. City will also qualify if they lose by no more than one goal. If Preston claim a two-goal win they will consign City to another season in the East Conference of the National League.
The game against Fareham was a close-fought encounter in front of a crowd swollen by spectators competing in the annual Roger Brummitt mixed hockey tournament.
City looked the most likely scorers for much of the game and took the lead in the 18th minute through a short corner conversion from former Fareham player Finding.
Fareham were a constant danger however, with many of the attacks coming from the long raking passes of ex- GB international Richard Mantell.
City had many more penetrations into the Fareham area though without managing a pressure-relieving second goal despite eye-catching displays from man-of-thematch Ben Read and Brendan Andrews .
Fareham won half a dozen short corners, where Mantell was always a threat, but a combination of good defence, and poor accuracy meantCity retained their single goal advantage to the end despite late pressure.
City next tackle North Conference champions Bowden in an English Hockey Cup semifinal at Bretton Gate on Saturday, April 27 (4pm start) which is not ideal preparation for the trip to Preston the following day.