The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
A Sports tale of woe and misfortune
Joint-manager Michael Gash believes Peterborough Sports are due a break.
Sports battled hard before falling to two late goals at home to National League North title-chasers Fylde last Saturday.
And on Tuesday it was a real tale of woe and misfortune for the city side as they went down 3-0 at Curzon Ashton.
The results have left Sports looking a little anxiously over their shoulders as they are 16th and just seven points clear of the drop zone ahead of a big derby battle at fifth-from bottom Boston United on Saturday.
Gash is determined to stay positive even after a Tuesday nightmare which saw one player’s arrival delayed to 25 minutes before kick off, which led to a change to an unfamiliar playing formation, and then a goal conceded rather controversially after five minutes and capped by a late accidental clash between centre-backs Richard Jones and Ryan Fryatt which forced both off the field with head injuries.
Top central defender Connor Johnson didn’t make the trip because of illness leaving striker Gash and midfielder
Connor Kennedy playing at the heart of the defence for the final 10 minutes.
"It was just one of those nights that happen in football,” Gash said. “Events just conspired against us and when you only have a small squad it can quickly become damaging.
"Connor dropping out was a blow and then a player arrived at 7.20pm which meant we switched to a midfield diamond which the players aren’t familiar with and we were pulled apart a bit in the first-half.
"We then suffered injuries, but we had a good chat
after the game and we’ll put it right. The players can’t really give any more, but the ball isn’t falling for us.
"We need to look behind us in the table and get back on track. It's a big game at Boston who had a great win against Brackley on Tuesday so it will be a tough one.”
Sports hope Johnson and injured midfielder Dan Lawlor will return at Boston, but Jones and Fryatt will have to be assessed. The latter suffered a nasty cut above the eye.
Sports are at home to 10th-placed Gloucester City on Tuesday (Feb 28, 7.45pm).