City drinking in last-chance saloon

City of Peterborough men are at the point of no return in their bid for National League promotion.

A depleted City side went down 5-3 in their Midlands Conference match at University of Nottingham seconds last weekend and slipped two places to fourth as a result.

City are now nine points adrift of leaders Harborne with only one promotion place up for grabs.

Winning this Sunday’s game with Harleston at Bretton Gate (2pm), and every other match for that matter, is essential. They will hope to have player-coach Gareth Andrew, among others, back in action.

City were excellent in the first quarter in Nottingham, but couldn’t make heavy pressure count.

They conceded three times before half-time, but kept fighting and were rewarded with two goals for Nick Beattie and another for skipper Joe Finding.

Standings: 1 Harborne P12 30pts, 2 Nottingham Uni II P12 23pts, 3 Norwich City P12 23pts, 4 City of P’boro P12 21pts, 5 Harleston P12 18pts, 6 Bedford P12 16pts, 7 St Albans P12 15pts, 8 Birmingham Uni II P12 12pts, 9 Lichfield P12 8pts, 10 Loughborough Tn P12 3pts.

City of Peterborough Ladies were held to a 1-1 draw by

St Albans in the East Premier Division. Hannah Brown scored the goal for City who host Bury St Edmunds on Saturday (1pm).

City seconds maintained their creditable mid-table position in Division One with a 5-0 win at Spalding firsts. Laura Thompson-Wright (2), Aggie Pennell, Hayley Jeal and Grace German scored the goals.

Other local East League scores: Men:

Cambridge City II 7, Spalding 0; City of Peterborough

II 1, Old Loughtonians II 3; Cambridge South II 2, City of Peterborough III 2; City of Peterborough IV 6, St Ives II 2; Cambridge South IV 3, City of Peterborough V 2; City of Peterborough VI 2, Ely II 3; City of Peterborough VIII 0, Spalding IV 1.

Ladies: Spalding 0, City of Peterborough II 5 (Thompson-Wright 2, Pennell, Jeal, German); Cambridge South II 2, City of Peterborough III 1 (Welsh); City of Peterborough V 0, Cambridge Uni IV 16.

City of Peterborough Ladies 5ths before their East League game with Cambridge University 4ths at Bretton Gate. Photo: David Lowndes.