Have Peterborough United now hit rock bottom? This must have been the worst display in recent club history

Posh striker Ricky-Jade Jones clashes with Mansfield goalkeeper Christy Pym. Photo David Lowndes.Posh striker Ricky-Jade Jones clashes with Mansfield goalkeeper Christy Pym. Photo David Lowndes.
Posh striker Ricky-Jade Jones clashes with Mansfield goalkeeper Christy Pym. Photo David Lowndes.
Peterborough United must now have hit rock bottom. They surely cannot play any worse than this, particularly in a shambles of a first half.

Visitors Mansfield Town did all the damage in the opening 31 minutes, scoring three times after bullying a young and fragile line-up into error after error, and eventually into submission.

Posh did improve a little after the break, but created just one chance of note. The Stags still looked the far more likely to score with Posh constantly pushed back even before George Nevett received the most obvious of late red cards for denying a goalscoring opportunity. The 3-0 final scoreline was very flattering to Darren Ferguson’s side who look bereft of confidence as well as fight and quality, a fatal combination unless they receive an injection of ability and experience in the shape of new players next month.

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Posh left out both centre-backs Emmanuel Fernandez and Oscar Wallin with the former dropping out of the squad altogether. Jadel Katongo moved across to centre-back with two 19 year-olds, James Dornelly and Harley Mills, in the full-back positions. Summer signing Rio Adebisi, who made his long-awaited debut last time out, was absent. Archie Collins returned to midfield after recovering from illness, but Hector Kyprianou was left on the substitutes’ bench.

Mansfield fielded three ex-Posh men, goalkeeper Christy Pym, defender Frazer Blake-Tracy and midfielder Louis Reed. Both sides were missing their top scorers – Kwame Poku and Lee Gregory – because of injury.

But the search for consistency, and even basic competence, continued as Posh delivered a truly awful 45 minutes. The young defence conceded twice in the opening nine minutes and again just past the half hour mark. The visitors scored with two headers from corners and another after the latest comedy moment from an individual at the back.

Mansfield could have had more. Every set-piece was a threat. The visitors came away with the ball from every 50-50 and most that appeared to be in Posh’s favour. Posh were sloppy in midfield and atrocious going forward. They had two shots on goal both comfortably handled by Pym.

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Aaron Lewis and Will Evans had shots on goal before Bailey Cargill headed home a seventh minute corner and before a horrible miskick from Nevett presented Evans with a tap-in two minutes later.

Evans was then presented with a free header from another corner on 31 minutes. Posh ‘keeper Nicholas Bilokapic also saved well from Louis Reed and Lewis to save Posh from further punishment before the welcome relief of the half-time whistle.

It was a surprise Posh boss Darren Ferguson didn’t make changes before a quarter of the game had passed. He tried to make up for it at half-time by making three alterations as Hector Kyprianou, Chris Conn-Clarke and Oscar Wallin all came on to play in a formation that looked pretty fluid, or confusing depending on your point of view.

It did pep Posh up briefly with Kyprianou and Conn-Clark adding a more positive approach, but once Collins had missed badly after a fine cutback from the latter, no further chances arrived. Any time there was a possibility of a threat Mansfield were happy to pick up a caution – four of them on the opening 20 minutes of the half – and the game was played out almost entirely in the home half.

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Bilokapic made a couple of top saves late on, one from a free kick from Stephen McLaughlin, one conceded by Nevett who tripped up substitute Rhys Oates who had pounced on a poor pass from Collins.

And that was that. The manager’s team selection – three teenagers and a 20-year old made up the back four – will come into question as will the complete and utter failure to improve a defence that if anything is getting worse by the game.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Harley Mills, George Nevett, Jadel Katongo, James Dornelly (sub Oscar Wallin, 46 mins), Ryan De Havilland (sub Donay O’Brien-Brady, 73 mins), Archie Collins, Maliik Mothersille, Joel Randal (sub Hector Kyprianou, 46 mins), Cian Hayes (sub Abraham Odoh, 59 mins), Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Chris Conn-Clarke, 46 mins).

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Jack Sparkes.

Mansfield: Christy Pym, Elliott Hewitt, Baily Cargill (sub Stephen McLaughlin, 46 mins), Deji Oshilaja, Fraser Blake-Tracy (sub Alfie Kilgour, 60 mins), Louis Reed (sub Hiram Boateng, 72 mins), Keanu Baccus, Aaron Lewis, Will Evans (sub Rhys Oates 77 mins), Lucas Akins, Jordan Bowery.

Unused subs: Scott Flinders, Aden Flint.

GOALS: Posh –

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Mansfield – Cargill (7 mins), Evans (9 mins & 31 mins).

Sending-off: Posh – Nevett (denying a goalscoring opportunity).

CAUTIONS: Posh – Wallin (foul). Katongo (foul).

Mansfield – Blake-Tracy (foul). McLaughlin (foul), Hewitt (foul), Kilgour (foul).

REFEREE: Jacob Miles 5.

ATTENDANCE: 9,985 (1,619 Mansfield).

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