Teenage goalkeeper Eddie Brearey saved St Ives Town from a heavier defeat in their 2-0 Southern League loss at Peterborough Sports.

The 17-year-old Oxford United loanee stood almost single-handedly between Ives and the hosts in the Premier Central encounter, as his teammates struggled on a hard, bumpy pitch.

Luke Fairlamb made his first start since September, but poor defending allowed the home side to get their noses in front inside 10 minutes.

A ball in from the right found the feet of centre-forward Mark Jones, who held it up well and set up Lamine Sherif to roll into the corner of the net past an unsighted Brearey.

Ives battled well to keep Sports at bay until the 25th minute, when Josh McCammon beat the offside trap and was denied by the legs of Brearey.

Nabil Shariff had the only half chance of note for the visitors, after Josh Flanagan sent in a teasing cross which just eluded him.

Liam Cross then lost possession in midfield and the home side saw McCammon find Dion Sembie-Ferris, who cut in from the left and curled beyond Brearey and the post.

Sembie-Ferris and Jones combined well on the right just before theb reak, but the former fired well over from just outside the box.

The second half soon became a case of Brearey against the Turbines front men as the young keeper produced a superb double save to deny Ryan Fryatt from close range and Sembie-Ferris with the follow-up.

Jones lost his marker to turn home a low cross from Sembie-Ferris and make it 2-0 but he limped off moments later to be replaced by Jordan Macleod, who forced Brearey to race off his line and block at close range.

Tyrone Baker saw his shot saved by Peter Crook at the other end on 62 minutes, before Macleod was put through on goal and denied by Brearey.

The youngster's best save came soon after as he raised a hand to keep out McCammon's close-range attempt, with Macleod thwarted twice in quick succession.

McCammon was stopped at point-blank range and Jones headed wide before seeing Brearey produce another brilliant reaction save to push the ball away.

Flanagan forced a smart save from Crook as Sports strengthened their play-off hopes and left Ives looking over their shoulders at the other end of the table.