Conceding two soft headed goals in the second half would be the glib response, but that does scant justice to a Posh performance which often made a mockery of the difference of a division between them and Championship side Bristol City.

City manager Gary Johnson admitted as much in his post-match press briefing, although those words were of little consolation to a Posh side that led early through a George Boyd goal before eventually losing to a close-range header from a corner six minutes from time by Steve Brooker, a man who looks as though he's dieted on cake and chips for most of his life.

There is usually drama when Posh visit City and although no-one quit at half-time like Bobby Gould and no-one had his teeth knocked out by Clive Platt, visiting manager Darren Ferguson did suffer the irritation of being sent to the stands on the word of a sensitive fourth official.

From there the Posh boss had a great view of Brooker's winner from a corner that was awarded after an assistant referee had failed to spot Nicky Maynard receiving the ball from a position that looked suspiciously offside.

Posh keeper Joe Lewis smothered Maynard's shot, but from the corner Louis Carey, who had equalised nine minutes after the break when a long, floated ball caught out Lewis and his defenders, out-jumped Craig Morgan and Chris Westwood to set up burly Brooker.

Ferguson said: "It looked a long way offside, but that doesn't excuse the lack of concentration at a corner which has cost us for the second successive match.

"When you play these better sides they will punish you if you switch off. Having said that I was very pleased with the performance."

And so he should be. Posh started brightly and greatly troubled a City side who had gambled on leaving two first-choice defenders on a seven-man substitutes' bench.

Boyd was outstanding throughout, while Craig Mackail-Smith, Aaron Mclean and full debutant Sergio Torres all showed some neat touches. Charlie Lee and Dean Keates were both tigerish and inventive in midfield.

Mclean had already tested City keeper Chris Weale before Boyd gave Posh the lead in the 17th minute after some excellent build-up play down the right side between Russell Martin, who was denied the opportunity to rest his sore ankle by Chris Whalpdale's virus, Torres and Mackail-Smith.

The latter's shot was deflected into Boyd's path by a home defender.

Mclean almost immediately wasted a headed opportunity, while City were restricted to long-range shots which Lewis dealt with expertly in a first half that included 10 minutes injury time after City debutant Christian Ribiero suffered a serious knee injury after slipping on the sodden Ashton Gate turf.

City did start the second half strongly although Carey's equaliser was soft as a hopeful ball was allowed to travel far too far, but the Posh response was impressive.