The match against Darlington was a mere distraction, something to be endured before the main event. For Posh fans the festivities were for once far more important than the football.

And that was just as well. Posh played like they'd had a party the night before the game - they were running on empty after giving everything in the previous 45 matches.

"We didn't want to be the sacrificial lambs," insisted Darlington manager Dave Penney, who nontheless must have feared a terrible mauling if Posh had been anywhere near their best.

The visitors arrived without a dozen injured players and without a recognised striker in their starting 11. They had a 15 year-old on the substitutes' bench, although Curtis Main still looked older than Alfie Potter, and lost first-choice goalkeeper David Stockdale early on after a sliding challenge by Aaron Mclean

Posh though were unrecognisable themselves from the side that had ripped Grimsby apart seven days earlier. In the words of their manager this was a game too many and in the words of the superstitious Posh never win in front of big crowds (something they may need to put right in League One next season).

Darlington's patched-up side were committed in the tackle and organised within a defence which often numbered nine players. They also had the boost of a fortunate early goal.

Ricky Ravenhill's low drive from the edge of the area in the third minute was about as threatening as Derby County, but a cruel deflection off Craig Morgan left Joe Lewis in the Posh goal helpless.

That goal gave Darlington the impetus to chase a first league victory in nine games. It also appeared to suck most of the life out of Posh.

Tommy Williams in particular, and George Boyd, did make some progress down the left-hand side, but once the latter's persistence and low cross followed by Mclean's strike had been blocked by former Posh man Alan White close to the goal-line, the home attack was easily contained.

There were half-chances as Boyd tested the substitute keeper with a tongue-twisting name Przemyslaw Kazimierczak following an exchange of passes with Mclean and the division's top scorer then narrowly missed the target with an overhead kick.

Posh switched formation at the break to a diamond shape, but any improvement was neglible once Craig Mackail-Smith's sweetly struck 50th minute volley had flown into the arms of the unpronounceable one.