Peterborough United book their play-off place after an incident-packed win over Fleetwood Town

But that flattering final scoreline didn’t even tell half the story of an incident-packed game.

Fleetwood actually took the lead after 14 seconds, but they also saw two penalties saved by Posh ‘keeper Jed Steer at 1-0 up and at 1-1, the second arriving with just 14 minutes to go.

Instead Posh burst clear in the final stages with three goals in 15 late minutes, two of them to substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris. Archie Collins also netted after Malik Mothersille had claimed his first Football League goal in the first-half.

It wasn’t such a good night for the player Mothersille replaced in the starting line-up, Ricky-Jade Jones who picked up a nasty looking injury after competing strongly for the ball and helping Posh take that crucial 2-1 lead.

Posh made two changes from the side thumped at Oxford last time out. David Ajiboye replaced Kwame Poku on the right side of the attack with Malik Mothersille coming in for Ricky-Jade Jones at centre forward.

Fleetwood should have arrived with positive intentions. They needed to win to have any chance of avoiding relegation, while, in a reversal of the norm when these two sides meet, Posh would be the more content with a draw as that would have secured the play-off place.

Former Posh midfielder Ryan Broom started for the Cod Army.

And what a start. Fleetwood kicked off and 14 seconds later they’d scored after Brendan Wiradu marched forward and fed Bosun Lawal who drove the ball into the corner of the net.

And it should have been 2-0 on nine minutes when Ronnie Edwards was harshly adjudged to have fouled Lawal. Edwards had been shrugged off the ball rather worryingly, but Lawal preferred to throw himself to the ground rather than advance towards and referee Sebastian Stockbridge rewarded him. The third time this official has pointed to the spot against Posh this season. He added a fourth later in the game to go with the two he gave Mansfield Town in a League Cup many months ago.

But justice was served when Jed Steer managed to fall on a rather weak penalty from Promise Omochere.

That was the last to be seen of Fleetwood’s attacking intent in the first-half, even after Mothersille had pounced to convert a fine Ajiboye cross.

Posh passed the ball too slowly to open their visitors up. Mothersille saw another shot blocked and Ephron Mason-Clark was also denied by a fine piece of defending.

Posh almost scored with the first attack of the second-half as Mason-Clark drew a fine save from Jay Lynch before Harrison Burrows drove a half-chance into the sidenetting.

Fleetwood did show more ambition in the second period and threatened when Ryan Broom drive past Burrows before firing across goal.

The visitors’ chance to take what could well have been a match-clinching lead arrived 15 minutes from time when Josh Knight was deemed to have committed a foul on Omochere. Lawal did the honours this time, but again the 12-yard strike was weak and saved easily.

And that was the signal for Posh to burst clear, helped by the impact of supersub Clarke-Harris. He poked the ball through for Collins to stride through and slot home before powering onto a big Steer clearance for goal number three and then accepting a tap-in after a brilliant run and set-up from Mason-Clark.

Fleetwood had come close to scoring on a couple of occasions at 2-1, but Steer was alert to the danger leaving the defeated on the verge of the drop to League Two.

Posh: Jed Steer, Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Josh Knight, Jadel Katongo (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 79 mins, sub Romoney Crichlow, 86 mins), Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins, Ephron Mason-Clark, Joel Randall (sub Kwame Poku, 56 mins), David Ajiboye, Malik Mothersille (sub Jonson Clarke-Harris, 79 mins).

Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, Ryan De Havilland, James Dornelly.

Fleetwood: Jay Lynch, Shaun Rooney, Ben Heneghan, Brendan Wiredu, Ryan Broom (sub Junior Quitirna, 85 mins), Buson Lawal, Callum Dolan (sub Xavier Simone, 46 mins), Carl Johnston (sub Phoenix Patterson, 85 mins), Danny Mayor, Tommy Lonergan (sub Ryan Graydon, 46 mins), Promise Omochere

Unused subs: Stephen McCullan, Elijah Campbell, Imari Samuels.

GOALS: Posh – Mothersille (18 mins), Collins (82 mins). Clarke-Harris (90 + 5 mins & (0 + 7 mins).

Fleetwood – Lawal (1 min)

CAUTIONS: Posh – Clarke-Harris (foul).

REFEREE: Sebastian Stockbridge 4.

ATTENDANCE: 6,358 (87 Fleetwood).