Peterborough Sports devoured by one the National League's 'big fish'

Michael Gash of Peterborough Sports was warmly applauded bat his old club Kidderminster Harriers. Photo: James Richardson.

It was a case of a ‘small fish’ in a large pond as Peterborough Sports went down 2-0 at Kidderminster Harriers in their National North League match on Saturday.

The Harriers are a big club in every sense at step two and comfortably saw off a Sports team playing at this level for the first time in the club’s history. Over 2,000 fans watched the game and only 27 were supporting Sports.

The home side started the brighter of the two sides and were awarded several free kicks in dangerous areas, however, none of them troubled the defence or Pete Crook in the Sports goal.

Chances for Sports were fairly limited though with the best chance falling for Michael Gash on 24 minutes when a pinpoint cross from Jordan Nicholson fell kindly at his feet, but his effort from right in front of goal from 12 yards was scuffed.

Sports were made to pay for missing that chance as the hosts took the lead on the half hour mark. A poorly weighted back pass split the Sports defence leaving a battle for the ball between Crook and Kidderminster’s Ethan Freemantle. The latter won the race and stabbed the ball into the back of the net to put his team ahead.

Connor Kennedy had a couple of chances for Sports at the back end of the first half, but it was Kidderminster who looked the more likely to score again.

The start to the second half was very similar with Kidderminster controlling possession and Sports soaking up the pressure. The hosts doubled their lead on 54 minutes as a great pass set Nathan Lowe up nicely to drive the ball hard across Crook and into the far corner from just outside the area.

A number of changes occurred for Sports in the minutes that followed with former Kidderminster player Gash receiving a great round of applause from all corners of the ground as he was replaced by Mark Jones.

Unfortunately for Sports, they never really looked like getting a goal back with the best opportunity coming right at the end of the 90 minutes through Ky Marsh-Brown who wriggled through the defence only to see his effort go just wide of the far post.

Not the afternoon the Turbines would have wanted, but there is no time to dwell as they look forward to a bumper clash with Kings Lynn Town at The Bee Arena on Bank Holiday Monday.

Lynn currently lead the division with Sports now down in eighth.