It's Play-Off Joy for Peterborough Sports & Coalville

Coalville Town will meet Peterborough Sports on Bank Holiday Monday at the Bee Arena in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central play-off final after both came through their semi-finals on Tuesday night.

In front of a terrific crowd of 1,223 at the Mander Cruickshank Solicitors Stadium, Coalville beat Rushall Olympic 3-0.

The Ravens took a 10th-minute lead when Eliot Putman curled a shot past Pics` keeper Tom Palmer from the edge of the area.

Richard Batchelor went close to equalising after 12 minutes, but just 6 minutes later, Rushall were dealt a massive blow when they had Jordaan Brown sent-off for pulling down Tyrell Waite as last man.

And Waite had revenge for being denied that earlier chance on 36 minutes when he doubled the home side’s lead when he headed past Palmer from Tom McGlinchey’s cross.

Palmer then kept the scoreline to 2-0 at half-time with a fine save from McGlinchey.

The second half became a little scrappy, although the Pics did hit the crossbar before Waite grabbed his second and Coalville’s third in the 84th minute, driving strongly through the defence before firing past Palmer.

Rushall were reduced to nine-men in the 90th minute when substitute Tyler Lyttle was sent-off for a high challenge on Kian Taylor.

At the Bee Arena, a crowd of 741 saw Jimmy Dean’s Peterborough Sports edge out Alvechurch 2-1.

Ian Long’s visitors grabbed the final play-off spot on the final day of the regular season with a win at home to Royston Town, while AFC Rushden & Diamonds, who held fifth place going into the games, lost 1-0 at home to Nuneaton Borough.

Despite possessing a decent record against the Turbines this season, `Church were on the back foot early on before the game settled into a midfield scrap.

Goalless at half-time, Sports couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second half as Ryan Fryatt headed past Dan Jezeph following a corner to break the deadlock.

And on 53 minutes, the home side added a second with a fine first-time effort from Josh McCammon from the edge of the box.

But on 69 minutes, Alvechurch gave themselves a lifeline when Nick Clayton-Phillips scored direct from a free-kick.

That gave the visitors a bit of momentum and they dominated the next few minutes. However, the Turbines held firm, although they had a late scare when Danny Waldron was denied only by a fine save by home `keeper Peter Crook.

That proved decisive as Sports now host Coalville for a chance at Step 2 football.