Attacking quality deserts both sides as Peterborough United and Stevenage play out midweek snoozefest

It was a dire match at London Road where it looked as both sides could have played until the Sheffield Wednesday team bus arrives on Saturday morning and still wouldn’t have been able to find the back of the net.

The visitors enjoyed prolonged spells of possession without ever creating a serious chance on goal that looked like troubling Alex Bass. Posh were slightly the more dynamic but missed the key chances they did create. It was a strange quirk that Posh produced the better openings but did not manage to register a single shot on target.

The usually reliable Harry Leonard was the guilty of the missing two glorious chances on a night where plenty of Posh fans breathed a big sigh of relief to see him on the teamsheet meaning that he would not be going anywhere before the transfer window slammed shut.

Posh made three changes from the thumping at Blackpool on Saturday; two in the backline as Tom O’Connor and Carl Johnston both missed out after looking to pick up knocks on the coasts. They were replaced by debutant Josh Feeney and James Dornelly. Harrison Jones was also brought into midfield in place of Ben Woods.

It was a first half were both sides shared spells of possession and traded chances.

Alex Bass was thrust into action quickly after another difficult game at the weekend and has to be sharp to push away Pheonix Patterson’s powerful effort at his near post after just four minutes.

The visitors had the better of the opening ten minutes but that ended abruptly when most of the stadium had their head in their hands. There was disbelief all around on the 11th minute when Harry Leonard was presented the ball just a few yards out, by Owura Edwards but could only drag an effort wide.

After 25 minutes, Edwards’ had bigger problems than not registering an assist when he limped off holding hamstring after a sprint to chase a throughball. He was swiftly replaced by Bolu Shofowoke.

The 17-year-old wasted no time in getting in on the action and went on one of his now famous charges forward with the ball from the right wing and hit an effort just a few inches over the bar.

As the half wore on, Stevenage began to create chances again and Bass had to throw himself down to his left well to deny Josh Magennis after he sprinted past David Okagbue on the Posh left.

Posh started the second half in the same vein and, despite the even nature of the game, consistently had the better chances to score. Ethan Williams twice came close to opening his account in great style with efforts from outside the box from consecutive corners; both times his efforts were just too high.

Stevenage resorted to throwing balls into the Posh box but often will little quality.

Ten minutes from time, another great chance was presented to Leonard inside the box, this time from a Chris Conn-Clarke drag back, but this time he blazed well over the bar.

MATCH FACTS

Posh: Alex Bass 6, Harley Mills 6, Josh Feeney 7, David Okagbue 5, James Dornelly 5, Liam Kelly (sub Ben Woods, 68 mins) 6, Brandon Khela (sub Chris Conn-Clarke, 68 mins) 5, Harrison Jones 7, Owura Edwards (sub Bolu Shofowoke, 25 mins) 7, Ethan Williams 6, Harry Leonard (sub Danny Ormerod, 84 mins) 5

Not used: Collin Andeng-Ndi, Evan Weir, Lucca Mendonca

Stevenage: Daniel Barden, Luther James-Wildin, Carl Piergianni, Lewis Freestone, Terence Vancooten Terry Taylor (sub Louis Thompson, 73 mins), Dan Phillips, Dan Kemp (sub Ben Broggio, 73 mins), Olly Sanderson (sub, Jordan Roberts, 63 mins), Phoenix Patterson (sub Jordan Houghton, 84 mins), Josh Magennis (sub Michael Mellon, 63 mins)

Not used: Max Woodford, Saxon Earley, Louis Thompson, Ben Broggio

Bookings: Posh – Feeney (foul)

Stevenage – Vancooten (foul)

Referee: Darren Drysdale 5.

Attendance: 6,565, (511 Stevenage)