Scarborough Athletic work hard for 3-1 win at home to Peterborough Sports
A second successive home win for Boro as they overcame a sluggish start to beat Peterborough Sports 3-1 with a dominant second-half performance.
A wonder goal from Rio Allan got the ball rolling, Ste Walker netted from the spot on the stroke of half-time, and Dom Tear added the third after the break to seal the points for Jono Greening’s side.
There wasn’t much to shout about in the early stages, and the visitors were hampered when Bayley McCann hobbled off injured after just six minutes.
Ste Walker raced onto a through-ball from Kieran Weledji, but was tackled by Aaron Powell in an early Boro attack, while for Sports, a Sam McLintock volley was blocked by Jake Hull, Alex Brown cleared when Luca Miller burst into the box, Powell fired over and Josiah Dyer latched onto a stray pass, but Ryan Whitley saved with his legs.
The game suddenly burst into life with a fabulous goal from young Boro striker Allan, when Lewis Maloney passed out to him on the right. He took a touch, cut inside and curled a stunning left-foot shot inside the top left corner past the despairing dive of keeper Peter Crook.
Boro could have doubled their lead, when a Brown strike was blocked by Ashton Fox, and Harry Green’s follow up shot was blocked by Ryan Fryatt, but Sports then broke forward, and Dyer passed into the goalmouth from the left, for Miller to slam in at the back post to level the scores.
Miller again raced into the area, but was halted by a strong Will Thornton tackle, and Whitley got down to save a Jarvis shot, before Boro restored their lead seconds before the interval when Walker sent Crook the wrong way from the penalty spot, after he was fouled when latching onto a pass from Green inside the area.
Sports began the second half brightly, Hull making a superb tackle to halt a run from Jarvis, who also had a shot charged down by Weledji.
Boro then began to get on top, with Alex Purver winning all the tackles in midfield and Brown outstanding down the left flank.
A surging run from Tear was ended by Miller’s crunching tackle, before Boro went 3-1 up when Brown burst from defence and passed to Green, who fired goalwards, and keeper Crook couldn’t hold his shot, with Tear bundling in the loose ball from close range.
A Tear shot was held by Crook, Hull headed into the arms of the keeper from a Maloney corner, and a Green cross was punched off the head of Richie Bennett by Crook.
Allan then headed a Brown cross just over, and an overhead kick from Allan flashed wide of the left hand post.
In Peterborough attacks, Sam Bayly headed to Michael Gash who fired over, Miller shot wide, and Thornton hacked clear when Miller charged into the area.
Green twice shot over and a Luca Colville strike was held by Crook in late Boro attacks.
Not a classic game, but a good three points for the home side.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown (Gibson-Booth 87), Hull, Thornton (c), Purver, Allan (Duckworth 82), Maloney (Wiles 79), Walker (Bennett 71), Tear (Colville 60), Green. Unused sub - Romero.
PETERBOROUGH - Crook, Powell (Heckingbottom 80), Fox, Fryatt (c), Mensah (Bayly 63), McLintock, Whitehouse, McCann (Straughan-Brown 6), Jarvis (Gash 67), Dyer (Booth 63), Miller, unused subs- Edwards, Cavallo.
REFEREE - Sam Bragg.
BORO GOALS - Rio Allan 22, Stephen Walker 45 (pen), Dom Tear 56; PETERBOROUGH GOAL - Luca Miller 31.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 12 (6 on target) PETERBOROUGH 8 (3 on target).
CORNERS - BORO 3 PETERBOROUGH 1.
OFFSIDES - BORO 2 PETERBOROUGH 3.
YELLOW CARDS - Aaron Powell, Dan Jarvis (Peterborough).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown.
ATTENDANCE - 839.