A near-perfect Saturday for Peterborough United as play-off rivals slip up and Posh old boys among the goals again

As they eased to a 3-0 win at Lincoln City courtesy of goals from Jonson Clarke-Harris, Jack Taylor and Joe Ward, there were defeats for play-off rivals Derby County, Wycombe Wanderers and Shrewsbury Town.

Only a 2-0 win for Portsmouth at Bristol Rovers was a disappointment for Posh, but Pompey remain three points behind Darren Ferguson’s men with an inferior goal difference. Both have nine games to play.

Most interestingly Derby County suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Fleetwood Town. The Rams are fifth, four points and two places above Posh, but are next in action at the Weston Homes Stadium next Saturday (March 25). Ex-Posh and Derby striker Jack Marriott played 88 minutes for Fleetwood at Pride Park.

Posh are also four points behind Bolton Wanderers, but with a game in hand. The Trotters don’t play again until Good Friday at Exeter City and if Posh win their two matches before then, v Derby and Oxford at home, they will probably move into the top six.

Bolton came from behind to claim what could be an important point from a 1-1 draw at leaders Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night.

Posh overtook Wycombe to move into seventh. The Chairboys lost 1-0 at home to in-form Barnsley who scored five minutes from time through Slobodan Tedic. It was his first goal for the fourth-placed Tykes.

Shrewsbury dropped to 10th below Portsmouth after a 2-0 reverse at third-placed Ipswich who have now won six matches in a row without conceding a goal.

Plymouth stayed two points ahead of Ipswich in second after a 17th win in 19 home matches, 2-0 v bottom club Forest Green. Ex-Posh loanee scored for Plymouth.

Former Posh striker Matt Godden scored in Coventry’s 4-1 Championship romp at Blackpool.

In League Two ex-Posh midfielder Callum Cooke scored for Hartlepool in a 2-2 draw against another of his former clubs Bradford City and George Moncur netted a penalty for leaders Leyton Orient in a 2-2 home draw with Colchester who scored twice in the final two minutes.

One-time Posh forward Danny Lloyd-McGoldrick scored for bottom club Rochdale in a breathtaking 4-4 draw with Swindon at Spotland. Charlie Austin scored all four Swindon goals.

Idris Kanu, who joined Barnet from Posh earlier this season, scored a big goal in the National League title race as the Bees drew 1-1 with second placed Notts County. County signed former Posh striker Junior Morias from National League rivals Dagenham & Redbridge on Friday.