The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
The masked skipper inspires City to a vital win in the battle against the drop
City of Peterborough won’t be relegated from National League Division One without an almighty fight.
That much is obvious from last Sunday’s vital 2-0 success over fellow strugglers Deeside Ramblers at Bretton Gate.
It was billed as a must-win match for the bottom club and they delivered, digging in when the visitors had spells of domination before springing into life with two goals in the final quarter.
Inspirational skipper Joe Finding, who was sporting a gruesome face mask to cover up the after effects of a training accident, was the key. He opened the scoring 15 minutes from time with a fierce strike into the top corner and he than produced an outrageous 50-yard lofted pass five minutes from full-time to enable Ben Newman to add a simple second goal, straight after the visitors had replaced their goalkeeper with an outfield player.
That goalkeeper had played exceptionally well to thwart Finding, Alex Boxall and Matt Goodley from open play. Cameron Goodey also enjoyed some useful moments in
the City goal, just seven days after conceding 10 goals at leaders Loughborough.
City were also helped by a glaring open goal miss from Deeside with the score at 1-0.
City remain bottom, but are just two points from safety ahead of a game at out-of-form
mid-table side Olton & West Warwicks on Sunday.
Long Sutton seconds sealed the East Division Four title in style with an 8-2 win at third-placed City of Peterborough sixths. Will White, Canham and Fox all scored twice.
City of Peterborough played back to back home games in the East Premier Division. They were beaten 2-1 by St Albans seconds with Laura Cave scoring their goal, but pipped Upminster 1-0 the following day. City are at Cambridge City 2nds on Saturday.
Spalding men and ladies first teams scored 28 goals between them in East League matches.
The men are five points clear in Division One after a 10-1 romp against Bury St Edmunds as Stu Cunnington hit a hat-trick.
And the ladies are a massive 18 points clear in Division Two after an 18-0 win over St Ives.
Charlotte Maplethorpe (5), Mia Dewing (4) and Harriet Mowbray (4) scored the most for a team who have won all 19 league games.