Wakes Caught Napping By Late Goal - Peterborough Sports vs. Bourne Town

Floodlight action shot

For my second midweek game of my 'holiday', I left the comfort of the Network Railcard Zone and in to Cambridgeshire for the United Counties League Division One match between Peterborough Sports and Bourne Town. The Turbines - the nickname originates from when the club represented Brotherhoods Engineering Works which made the first steam turbine engines - were experiencing their first season at this level. Both sides were in the lower half of the table although Bourne had played a few games more than Peterborough. My only experience of Bourne (the town or the team) is running a cross country race for my secondary school and my lasting memory is feeling very sick afterwards but the town itself was quite pleasant.

Kick off at Lincoln Road

The game has a fairly uneventful start with the home side having most of the ball. It is the visitors who create the first opening when the Bourne forward flicks on a long free kick but no one is there to take advantage. The Sports keeper than has to save a half volley following another Bourne free kick. Sports then create a great chance when the ball is pulled back in the area but the shot is well over the bar. They have an even better chance afterwards when the forward drags his effort wide from close range following an defensive error. The home side create yet another good chance when the ball is headed back across the goal and the ball is put well over the bar again. Sports think they should have a penalty when the Bourne keeper goes in hard on the striker but the referee is unmoved by the protests. The officials further frustrate Sports when they disallow a goal for offside shortly afterwards. In the final minutes of the half the Sports keeper then makes a decent reflex save.    

The players await a ball in to the box

The first action of the half is a Sports free kick from quite far out which is wasted when the player elects to shoot. The Sports winger then puts in a great ball to the back post but no one can make contact. The Bourne defence then has to be alert to clear a header off the line following a corner. Sports then get in another header at goal but this time it goes over the bar. Bourne then launch a counter attack which stalls and allows Sports to get enough men back. It is then Sports' turn to attack on the break and the winger bends his effort just wide. The Bourne defence are then undone by a long ball from the back but no one in blue is there to take advantage. Sports do eventually make the break through with an effort following another corner and this proves to be the match winner.

Sports come close in the second half.

Trains to Peterborough depart on a regular basis from Kings Cross. The First Capital Connect trains take around an hour and a quarter while the East Coast trains take forty five minutes. Peterborough itself and the cathedral in particular are worth exploring before a game. There are two very good pubs a short walk from the station. The first is the The Brewery Tap which had an incredible amount of beers and several Oakham ales on tap. The second is The Wortley Almshouses which is a Sam Smith's pub with a brilliant layout. The ground is about a half hour walk from the station but there is a bus which passes the ground from the bus station. The clubhouse is also a social club with Sky Sports and several pool tables and dart boards.

An awesome programme is produced by Peterborough Sports. There are a couple of match reports complete with pictures as well several pages detailing goings on around the league. The cost of admission including the excellent programme was only three pounds which is a nice contrast to the cost of the previous night at Barnet.

The Colin Day Stand