FEATURE: Agonising late dramas for Peterborough United

It was agonising, but there have been worse days/nights to be a Posh fan as Alan Swann, with help from his Twitter followers @PTAlanSwann, recalls.

1) May 4, 2013

Crystal Palace 3, Posh 2

Championship

Posh were 2-1 up with seven minutes to go at Selhurst Park and even a draw would have kept Darren Ferguson’s team in the Championship.

But Kevin Phillips equalised on 83 minutes and in the 89th minute a free-kick wrongly awarded against Dwight Gayle by referee Craig Pawson led to Palace scoring a late winner through Mile Jedenik.

Huddersfield and Barnsley players heard this news and played keepball against each other to ensure a drawn game and survival for both.

The most awful experience in my time following Posh.

2) January 25, 2014

Oldham 5, Posh 4

League One

Posh were 3-0 up at half-time, 4-2 up with half an hour to play, and 4-3 up with a minute to go, but lost in dramatic style after Lee Tomlin had been sent off for a deliberate handball on the goaline.

Oldham were in awful form at the time. Posh were hunting a play-off place.

Manager Darren Ferguson was so angry with the capitulation he declined to meet the press after the game for the only time in his Posh career.

“It was the worst end to a terrible afternoon. On reflection must worse than what happened at Charlton.”

@Sweeney95Alex

3) March 18, 1997

Colchester 3, Posh 0

(Colchester win 3-2 on agg)

Auto Windscreen Shield

Posh were on the way to relegation from Division Two in Barry Fry’s first season as manager, but a Wembley final would have been a great consolation prize and it looked likely as Posh eased to a 2-0 first leg win against lower division opposition at London Road.

But Posh folded in Essex, went 2-0 down by half-time before conceding a golden goal winner in extra time after Ken Charlery had been sent off by hopeless referee Uriah Rennie.

Posh lost with literally the last kick of the game.

4) December 15, 1993

Portsmouth 1, Posh 0

(after extra time)

League Cup

Another Posh side heading for the drop from the old Division One battled through to the fourth round of the League Cup to face Portsmouth.

After a home 0-0 draw, the winners were drawn away to Man Utd in the next round, but it was Pompey who claimed that trip with a cracking 120th minute curling strike from Danish star Bjorn Kristensen.

“We conceded very late in extra time and then Bobby Barnes was sent off only seconds after coming on as a sub to take a penalty in the expected shoot out! Awful night.”

@forever_posh

5) May 1, 1978

Wrexham 0, Posh 0

Division Three

The late drama here was the save Wrexham goalkeeper Dai Davies produced to thwart Tommy Robson. Posh had to win to win promotion to the top two tiers of English football for the first time, but Davies was inspired.

Posh missed out on goal difference, centre-half Chris Turner left the club who were relegated within 12 months.

“It was the end of a successful little era started by Noel Cantwell’s appointment as manager. The team broke up and we were in Division Four for 13 years until Turner came back as manager.”

@PoshBarry

February 10, 1998

Posh 0, Doncaster 1

Division Three

Doncaster had been rock bottom of the entire Football League all season yet scored in the 90th minute to claim a first away win at Barry Fry’s promotion-chasing Posh.

Posh had won 5-0 at Doncaster at the start of that season, but the wheels had fallen off by the time of the return clash at London Road. It was funereal atmosphere.

“Donny went down with about 14 points, and we were in the top four at the time and red hot favourites to win. They were down by Christmas yet beat us with the last kick of the game.”

@gazsipson