ST Ives Town put their FA Vase quarter final defeat behind them with a United Counties Premier Division win on Tuesday night - leaving their opponents, Peterborough Northern Star, unable to do the same.

St Ives were knocked out of the Vase by Staveley Miners Welfare on Saturday but PNS took Dunston UTS to extra-time in the same competition before losing 4-3.

And their week got worse when they lost 2-1 to St Ives at Westwood Road despite going a goal up within four minutes of the start.

Saints joint manager Jez Hall said: “The lads showed great character - for the first 10 minutes we were second best but as soon as we got used to the formation change I thought we won a lot of battles and were the better team.”

It was Peterborough’s lively striker Averlino Viera who scored the first goal, beating Niall Controy Owen with an unstoppable shot from just inside the area. And it took a while for the Saints to get over that blow. But with Scott Fielding working hard to chances, and Conor Washington beginning to threaten up front, the equaliser came from defender Will Fordham when he headed home a brilliant Jamie Alsop free-kick on 21 minutes.

Jeff Minton got the second goal from close range after the PNS goalkeeper had parried a Washington shot.

In the second half it became a battle of wills, one which St Ives won in part to the harrying and hard work of midfielders Stuart Cobb and Lee Ellison.

Late on the visitors’ manager was sent to the stands and they had a goal chalked off by the referee after he spotted his assistant’s off-side flag during the celebrations.

“It was two good top-five UCL sides,” said Hall. “In the second half I thought we bossed it but we didn’t get the third goal so in the last five minutes they threw four up front and it was tough.

“To keep them to one goal was great.”