Categories: EFLLeague OnePeterborough United

The Posh must learn from their promotion rivals’ mistakes if they wish to maintain their title-winning ambitions

Peterborough United prevailed midweek as they came from behind to beat Gillingham 3-1. Though the perils of their promotion challengers should be their main concern ahead of AFC Wimbledon’s visit to the Western Homes Stadium on Saturday.

Hull City, Doncaster Rovers, Portsmouth and Charlton were among the top six clubs who all suffered shock defeats over the last seven days but manager Darren Ferguson will not need to look at the recent League One results to understand the dangers of underestimating bottom-half opponents.

The Posh may hold the best home record in the division, with no other team dropping fewer than eight points, yet failed to beat bottom-half strugglers Bristol Rovers and Burton Albion at London Road earlier in the season.

While exits via League Two side Cheltenham Town and National League North outfit Chorley FC in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup last year also left the Cambridgeshire club victims of further upset.

Consecutive comeback wins against Ipswich Town (2-1) and Gillingham (3-1) may have proved that Ferguson has found a winning formula.

Tuesday’s result made it six wins with 18 points picked up when conceding the first goal of the game (including seven defeats). In the ‘conceding first goal of the game table’, the Posh are top with Lincoln and Doncaster second with eight points. Surely it’s not intentional, right?

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Furthermore, the away win marked the first victory on the road in almost a month. As for the majority of the season, it is as if the Scotsman has been managing two different teams.

The one that shows up on home soil is usually fearless and full of imagination but the one that pitches up elsewhere often appears timid and uninspired.

It appeared that Posh fans were in for the same old story when they went into the break trailing to the Gills courtesy of a John Akinde penalty.

However, a Fergie ‘hairdryer’, change of formation and Mo Eisa for Siriki Dembele substitution later, the Posh emerged as a totally different beast.

Top scorer Jonson Clarke-Harris bagged himself two and a first league goal since October 31st from Dembele secured the win and second place in the table – albeit it short-lived following Hull City’s 5-0 dismantling of Wigan Athletic on Wednesday.

Before beating former boss Steve Evans’ side, Posh had only claimed 17 points from 13 games on the road – the 13th best record in the division below both Rochdale and Shrewsbury.

More shockingly, they had only scored 11 goals on their travels, the lowest in League One alongside the Shrews. Compared to the 29 the Posh have scored at home, four more than any other team has managed.

This weekend’s visitors Wimbledon triumphed over the Posh in early December and that was their last win until they beat Wigan away from home two weeks.
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Since then, Mark Robinson has taken over from Glyn Hodges – who was sacked earlier in the month – permanently with the Wombles hovering precariously one place above the relegation zone.

The Tigers, who are level on points with Posh in second, face fifth-placed Doncaster but Ferguson’s side have two games in hand.

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