More late agony for Peterborough United after a valiant effort with 10 men

Posh were second best for most of the night at the Valley and a 2-1 defeat was certainly a fair reflection of the contest, but referee Lee Swabey’s influence on the outcome should not be under-estimated.

He awarded two penalties in this game, one for each side and should have sent one player off apiece as well, but whereas he issued the ultimate sanction to Manny Fernandez for a one-footed lunge he failed to despatch home defender Kayne Ramsey after he conceded a spot-kick for tripping Ricky-Jade Jones. There was no obvious attempt to play the ball so a yellow card just seemed lenient.

Malik Mothersille scored his penalty to cancel out Matty Godden’s, but the home side added more agony to this dismal season when Macauley Gillesphey was given a free header from a corner which he planted into the corner to win the game in the 89h minute.

It had been a valiant effort from the 10 men which shouldn’t overshadow another pretty tepid effort from Posh for the first hour.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson’s search for some positive away form led to three centre-backs, three central midfielders, two wing-backs and two forwards. It looked like a line-up designed to prevent goals rather than score them, but needs must and away results have been so awful the manager could justify playing 10 defenders.

From the last League One match there was a recall for goalkeeper Jed Steer and central defenders Oscar Wallin and Fernandez, as well as Hector Kyprianou who was also restored to the captaincy. To the bench went Nicholas Bilokapic, Abraham Odoh and Chris Conn-Clarke and out of the squad altogether went George Nevett.

Charlton’s form has been rather better and excitable manager Nathan Jones named an unnamed side that included former Posh men Godden and Conor Coventry.

Posh actually started with some promise. The pace of Ricky-Jade Jones was a threat for a big and strong backline, but once the hosts started to get a grip of him they dominated possession by winning all the tackles and aerial duels. Balls into feet to these Posh strikers don’t work, but there was also a failure of the midfield three to gain possession, despite a bright start from Mo Susoho.

Charlton’s scoring opportunities arrived in the second half of the first half. From a left-wing cross Godden steered his shot straight at Steer. From a right wing cross Luke Berry smashed over the crossbar.

Lively left winger Tyreece Cambell was then played in, but Steer smothered his shot. From the home side’s first corner Steer reacted well to parry Godden’s snapshot before Berry struck a post from 20 yards and Sam Hughes blocked the follow-up. Greg Docherty then poked wide from a great position.

Ironically an injury to Gustav Lindgren which forced him off on 40 minutes affected the home side’s momentum as Posh managed to stay in the game to the break.

But it all went pear-shaped in a mad couple of minutes at the start of the second. One sloppy square pass along his own area by Kyprianou caught Wallin out and Campbell’s shot slammed into the arm of Andrew Hughes. The penalty was awarded and Godden scored despite Steer getting a hand on the ball. Two minutes later Fernandez was caught dribbling up the left wing, lunged to try and recover possession and caught an opponent. Referee Swabey took and age to send him off and it looked a harsh call on replay.

But Posh managed to fight back within 10 minutes as lively substitute Mothersille fed Jones who was tripped by Kayne Ramsey. It was the slightest of touches, but there was no attempt to play the ball so a red card should have followed the penalty award, but no and Ferguson was cautioned, presumably for explaining the laws as he understood them.

Mothersille converted the spot-kick with his usual aplomb and Posh settled down to try and survive the expected onslaught. Steer and Hughes made terrific defensive clearances under pressure.

Understandably Posh didn’t attack much although Mothersille did threaten, but was tackled before getting a shot away. More surprisingly Charlton started to labour until the final stages. Posh thought they had escaped when Carl Johnston deflected Docherty’s free header behind, but from the corner a familiar failing of an inability to mark re-surfaced and Ferguson’s men tumbled to a 10th defeat in 12 away games.

Posh: Jed Steer, Tayo Edun, Emmanuel Fernandez, Sam Hughes, Oscar Wallin, Carl Johnston, Mahamadou Susoho (sub Abraham Odoh, 79 mins), Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins, Ricky-Jade Jones, Gustav Lindgren (sub Malik Mothersille, 41 mins).

Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, Ryan De Havilland, Chris Conn-Clarke, Cian Hayes, James Dornelly

Charlton: Ashley Maynard-Brewer, Kayne Ramsey, Lloyd Jones, Macaulay Gillesphey, Thierry Small, Conor Coventry, Luke Berry (sub Alex Gilbert, 79 mins), Greg Docherty, Joshua Edwards (sub Miles Leaburn, 72 mins), Matty Godden (sub Chuks Aneke, 79 mins), Tyreece Campbell (sub Alex Mitchell (0 + 2 mins).

Unused subs: Will Mannion, Karoy Anderson, Daniel Kanu.

GOALS: Posh – Mothersille (pen, 63 mins).

Charlton – Godden (pen, 54 mins), Gillesphey (90 mins).

SENDING OFF: Posh – Fernandez (serious foul play).

CAUTIONS: Posh – Edun (foul), Jones (delaying the re-start), Ferguson (manager, dissent).

Charlton – Jones (foul), Berry (foul), Ramsey (foul).

REFEREE: Lee Swabey 4.

ATTENDANCE: 11,653 (714 Posh),