The Bee Arena, Lincoln Road, home of Peterborough Sports based in Cambridgeshire and play their trade in the National League North. Nicknamed the “Turbines” after history of Turbine engines around this area of the country.
It’s a rare revisit for me today as Peterborough Sports face Curzon Ashton in the FA Cup and the first time for me seeing Peterborough Sports as a National League club but the main reason for my revisit today is to meet Stefan who appeared on the FANA Fan Podcast back in August 2021 and to say I’m excited is an understatement after a year of emails from him it’s finally time!! I also missed the first 15 minutes of the game last season against Rushall Olympic… One for the groundhopping Police!
The long journey for me now down the M1 onto the M18 and onto the A1 and I’m now finally here with just over 30 minutes to go before kick off. Into the queue for the turnstile I go and a quick glance past the turnstile and there he is!! Stefan is here!! £14 for this FA Cup tie! Well… Here we are!! It’s been a long time coming but it’s an honour to finally meet the man himself!! “Let’s go for a beer…” Well with that queue maybe not…
Over to the other side of the ground where the Peterborough Sports fans will be for the first half and the queue for the food stall isn’t much better… A good catch up later with Stefan and out come the players, may the magic of the cup strike here today!
Kick Off! 5 minutes in and Peterborough have a free kick on the right, it’s played in, it comes for Connor Kennedy who shoots… Wide!
13th minute now and Peterborough play down the left, it’s played in, Michael Gash heads it back for Connor Kennedy to shoot… OH! Just wide! Nearly in the top corner there.
24 minutes now and Curzon come forward, it comes to Connor Hampson in the box on the left, he goes for goal… Tipped over brilliantly by the keeper! Corner for Curzon, in it comes… Cleared. “Oh we’re Curzon Ashton!” The travelling Curzon fans in fine voice so far!
35 minutes on the clock and Curzon are looking the better of the 2 teams here so far, they have a corner again, in it comes… The header… Off the bar and in? The Referee blows… For a foul on the Peterborough Sports man in the build up there. A game without any clear cut chances is 0-0 at half time. The funny accents and impressions of Stefan getting me and another Peterborough Sports fan through that half!
Second half, “Oh we’re Curzon Ashton!” 49th minute and Peterborough have it on the right wing, it’s crossed in… It’s come off the Curzon defender’s head and he goes down… “Can’t park there mate!” That remark from a Sports fan certainly made me chuckle a bit!
51 minutes now and Peterborough Sports look to take a foothold in the game now! They drive into the box on the right… But Curzon deal with it and get a goal kick. “P P PSL!” The Peterborough fans have woken up at last!
57th minute and Curzon play down the right wing, it’s crossed in, is that a push by the Peterborough man… Yes! Says the Referee! It’s a Penalty for Curzon Ashton! It’s very clumsy I must say… Josh Hancock steps up… And he scores!!! Curzon have the lead! 0-1!!
60th minute and Peterborough have a throw in on the left… Was that a kick there by the Peterborough man…? The Curzon man goes down… Tempers are boiling over here as the players run in… The Referee has got to stop this! Nathan Fox is pulled over by the Referee… Yellow Card! And another yellow card for one of the Curzon players too much to the delight of the Sports fans!
Great to meet another Sports fan here today who also supports Leyton Orient. The game goes on and Peterborough are pressing for an equaliser but Curzon are looking good at the back but are going down very easily during challenges… Not how I’d like to see my team play!
76th minute now and Sports play down the right wing again, it’s crossed in, it’s Mark Jones with the header… Just wide! So close!
82 minutes and Curzon Ashton have a corner, in it comes… It’s headed back across to Devon Matthews… OFF THE BAR! It’s pinball… The shot comes in… Blocked!! Sports clear the danger.
We’re into 8 minutes of stoppage time here now and Sports have a corner, the keeper is up for this one, in it comes… Over everyone but Sports get it back on the right, it’s played back in, the keeper wins the header… It’s too far out and the keeper claims comfortably.
Play goes on and Sports hit it long, it’s flicked on to Dion Sembie-Ferris… Offside! He runs the ball into the goal but it won’t count.
There can’t be long left now but Sports have a free kick on the halfway line, keeper runs up again, it’s lumped into the box… Curzon clear… That’s it! Curzon Ashton are through… Oh dear what’s this!? A Curzon fan is on the pitch running past the Peterborough fans taunting them… He climbs back over the railing as does the steward… Oh dear! He’s fallen over… A massive fit of laughter by the fans in the ground still! He’s outside and the chase is still on… They’ve got him by the junior teams goal and we’re seeing scenes that you don’t like to see at football here… No sympathy for the fan running on the pitch at the end like that!
FT: Peterborough Sports 0-1 Curzon Ashton
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 6/10 – The Curzon fans were the better of the 2 on the day and it was very good for this level!
- The Ground: 7.5/10 – As good as last time!
- Expense: 8/10 – £40 for fuel and £14 to get in, not bad but a little steep.
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Well worth the wait to meet Stefan who I’ve had a brilliant time with today and I sure hope I will again in the next round this season! it was a good game as well and the scenes afterwards did not spoil it one bit!
31.5/40
To see how the last visit went click here