Better from Peterborough United, but they still ended up pointless from Ipswich Town trip

Instead a 10th League One defeat of the season, and an eighth away from home, arrived at Portman Road with Ipswich Town edging to a 2-1 win thanks to two expertly-taken goals from Conor Chaplin.

Posh centre-back Frankie Kent had headed home an equaliser for Posh – his first league goal for 25 months – in the first-half, but the result was a fair one even if the hosts din’t perform like a team certain to return to the Championship.

Posh changed shape and looked a bigger attacking threat as a result because of the quality from out wide of Kwame Poku and Joe Ward, but an extra centre-back on the pitch did little to address the defensive fraility that has scarred many an away display this season.

The big pre-match news was that switch of formation rather than three player changes. The 3-4-1-2 used to great effect at the start of the season was back which meant a recall for on-loan centre-back Kell Watts and for striker Jack Marriott. Hector Kyprianou was preferred in midfield to Jeando Fuchs with Ephron Mason-Clark and Ben Thompson also dropping down to the substitutes’ bench.

Kwamre Poku was positoned behind the front two with Ronnie Edwards in the middle of a back three and Ward and Dan Butler as wingbacks. Nathan Thompson was left out of the squad altogether and two goals against Aston Villa Under 21s wasn’t enough to get Joel Randall back into the matchday squad.

Ipswich surprisingly recalled Sone Aluko up front after a four-month absence through injury.

Posh were chasing a third straight win in this fixture, but few fancied their chances against a team who have lost just twice in League One this season.

Posh were at least determined to make it hard for a team who can frustrate large home crowds – over 24,000 for this game – with their patient possession-based style. Out of possession Posh quickly formed a flat back five. They were also seen with 11 men with 11 men within 20 yards of their own goal.

The game started with both sides strolling around playing neat, short passes.

Aloku delivered the first shot of the match in teh 20th minute, it went wide from 20 yards, and the first time either side gained possession in the opposition penalty there was a goal.

Ipswich scored it with a classy 21st minute headed finish by Chaplin from a right-wing cross from Sam Morsy. Chaplin is relatively tiny which might have helped him escape the attentions of those three centre-backs.

Wes Burns and Aluko constantly attacked the left hand side of the Posh defence, but the visitors also had a threat down the right and Ward won a corner which led to an equaliser 10 minutes after they’d fallen behind.

Poku took it short to Ward who sent it back to the taker and he whipped in a cross Kent couldn’t fail to convert from close range. It didn’t appear to have happened by design, but the cross was excellent and a few more from that side from Poku and Ward tested the home defence before the break.

Jonson Clarke-Harris had struck the top of the crossbar from a 30 yard free kick before the leveller, but Ipswich enjoyed a good spell of pressure before the break.

Lucas Bergstrom, who had been rescued by his defence after dropping a routine cross, reacted well to pounce on a ball after Aluko had raced past Butler and after Watts had slid in to intercept. The ‘keeper also held on to a 20 yarder from Morsy at the second attempt.

There was some nip and tuck at the start of the second-half before Posh became sloppy and invited pressure. They survived a neat corner routine which saw Chaplin fire over, but not a second one when the scorer had time to pick himself off the floor before blasting home impressively from 12 yards just before the hour mark

Clarke-Harris had wriggled free in a crowded penalty to cause panic for home ‘keeper Christian Walton from another set play with a deflected header just before the goal and once Posh came through a dodgy spell after the winning goal they competed well for the remainder of the game.

Set-pieces and the crossing ability of Ward and Poku caused issues with Edwards nodding just wide from a free kick and Clarke-Harris sending another header too close to the ‘keeper.

Bergstrom was saved by an offside flag after spilling another shot before Posh cranked up the pressure in the final stages. Corners were won and dangerous crosses were delivered, but an Ipswich side who started to nervously waste time survived to move top of the table, for a couple of hours at least.

Posh: Lucas Bergstrom, Dan Butler (sub Harrison Burrow, 67 mins), Kell Watts (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 86 mins), Ronnie Edwards, Frankie Kent, Joe Ward, Jack Taylor, Hector Kyprianou (sub Jeando Fuchs, 67 mins), Kwame Poku, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Jack Marriott (sub Ephron Mason-Clark, 67 mins).

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Josh Knight, Ben Thompson.

Ipswich: Christian Walton, Janoi Donacien (sub Kane Vincent-Young, 15 mins), Leif Davis (sub Greg Leigh. 90 + 4 mins), Luke Woolfenden, Wes Burns (sub Richard Keogh, 90 + 4 mins), Camerson Burgess, Sam Morsy, Cameron Humphreys, Conor Chaplin, Sone Aluko (sub Freddie Ladapo, 77 mins), Kayden Jackson (sub Kyle Edwards, 77 mins).

Unused subs: Vaclav Hldaky, Gassan Ahadme.

Goals: Posh – Kent (32 mins).

Ipswich – Chaplin (22 mins & 58 mins).

Cautions: Posh – None.

Ipswich – Morsy (dissent), Vincent-Young (foul), Jackson (foul).

Referee: Ollie Yates 8.

Attendance: 24,849 (1,230 Posh).