Fast finish couldn’t make up for a sluggish start

A sluggish start ultimately cost Peterborough Sports the National League North win they deserved at Blyth Spartans.

Home forward Cedric Main beat Sports ‘keeper Peter Crook at his near post with a fierce low drive in the second minute.

And Sports had to dig in and weather some pressure from the team next-to-bottom of the table before they took control of the match.

The city side were behind for 76 minutes, but were rewarded for their patience and persistence when Josh McCammon equalised 12 minutes from time.

There was still time for Sports to win the game, especially as Blyth’s Sunderland loanee Michael Spellman had been sent off after following a poor challenge on Isaiah Bazeley with some backchat on the hour mark.

Sports had been rocked themselves in the early stages when striker Mark Jones limped off, although his replacement Jordan Nicholson delivered a lively display and threatened an equaliser from a free kick and from a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Richard Jones headed over before McCammon struck and then headed over again from a corner deep into injury time.

"We needed to back up our brilliant result against Brackley,” Sports joint-manager Michael Gash said.

“So, although it was disappointing not to win, it was important we didn’t lose to maintain momentum.

"The slow start ultimately cost us the win, but the lads showed good spirit to fight back and get the draw,

TABLE

Fylde 28 18 5 5 23 59 King’s Lynn 29 17 7 5 26 58 Brackley 30 1510 5 15 55 Darlington 30 16 6 8 16 54

Scarborough 31 14 8 9 5 50 Chester 30 12 13 5 16 49 Chorley 31 12 11 8 12 47 Kidd’minstr 32 13 7 12 0 46 Alfreton 29 10 12 7 9 42 Gloucester 31 12 6 13 -3 42 Southport 30 11 8 11 0 41 Spennymr 30 10 11 9 -1 41 SPORTS 29 117 11 1 40 Banbury 27 11 6 10 1 39 Hereford 31 11 6 14 1 39 Curzon A 29 10 7 12 -1 37 Buxton 30 9 9 13 -8 36 Kettering 30 8 10 12 -14 34 Bradford PA 31 8 9 14 -12 33 Farsley C 29 8 7 14 -17 31 Boston 30 8 6 16 -9 30 Leamington 29 5 14 10 -8 29 Blyth S 31 6 9 16 -19 27 Telford 32 3 10 19 -33 19.