The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Sports boss confident of a stylish end to the season
Peterborough Sports manager Jimmy Dean is confident his side will soon put some indifferent form behind them and finish the Southern League Premier Central Division in style.
Sports went down 3-0 at midtable Hednesford last Saturday, a scoreline that flattered the hosts.
But Dean insists there were mitigating circumstances, although a crippling injury crisis is finally showing signs of easing. Sports hope to have marquee summer signing Michael Gash back in the starting lineup when they host Stratford, a team managed by former England goalkeeper Tim Flowers, on Saturday (3pm) while key defender Ryan Fryatt, another close-season capture, could also return.
Sports are third in the Premier Division table. One team is promoted - Banbury United appear to have the title sewn up - while the next four contest the end-of-season playoffs. Sports are seven points ahead of sixth-placed Rushden & Diamonds.
“It’s been a tough run of games,” Dean admitted. “We’ve just played four away games in a row and that’s hard mentally as well as physically.
“We didn’t play badly at Hednesford at all. We created a lot of chances, but didn’t take any of them. Mind you it doesn’t help when your left winger (Josh Moreman) gets injured in the first minute and you have to put a left-back (Luke Warner-Eley) on in his place.
“But hopefully we should have some players back on
Saturday. Moreman won’t be there, but Michael Gash should be fit enough to start and that will be like having a new signing.
“Ryan Fryatt could be back as well and once things settle down I am sure we will be okay. “We’re still in a decent position and I’m not worrying about other teams and their results because I know we will string good results together and finish in style when we have sorted ourselves out
“Stratford will be a good test for us. We won at their place, but they reached the first round of the FA Cup this season.”
Hednesford were 2-0 up inside 20 minutes last weekend, but Sports put them under considerable pressure before conceding a fluke third goal 20 minutes from time as a deflected shot flew into the net.
Jimmy Dean: ‘Getting Gash back is like having a new signing.’