Peterborough United answered some important questions as the sheer madness of the League One promotion race became apparent

After the euphoria of winning at Wembley it would have been easy to overdo the celebrations knowing the next game was at home against one of the poorest teams in their division.

Maybe Posh would still have won playing at 50% of their potential, but these players are clearly not just young, hungry and dynamic, they are also focused and professional in their outlook.

The Sunday night celebrations were low-key and took place at a player’s house. They were back to work the following morning when any doubts about their freshness and fitness were quickly dispelled.

If anything playing at Wembley appears to have given them a shot of energy. It was a heavy surface at London Road last night, but Posh ran all over a team set up to defend in numbers. They were quicker in thought and deed and they were physically superior to some big lads. The manager called his players ‘relentless’ which seemed the perfect description.

They were also patient and precise with their passing. If only their shooting accuracy had matched the quality of some of the crossfield balls Posh would have eaten into the goal difference of the three teams above them, but there is still time for the top scorers in the division to make up that ground.

TALKING POINTS AFTER POSH 3, PORT VALE 0…

1) How close is this promotion race? We will forget Portsmouth who are nailed on to be champions never mind promoted, but after Derby’s draw at Wycombe, third-placed Bolton now have second place in their hands as they sit two points behind the Rams with a game in hand. Bolton are also four points above Posh having played one game more. But if Posh win their final five games they will definitely finish above Bolton as they host the Trotters on the final day of the season, but Darren Ferguson’s side would not be certain of finishing above Derby unless they also make up a five-goal goal difference gap. If all three teams win their games up to the final day of the season Bolton would have 90 points with Derby and Posh on 89 apiece. Derby are at home to relegated Carlisle on the final day.

2) There is always plenty of praise for the Posh forward options, but one key aspect of last night was a first clean sheet in 10 games, one preserved by a brilliant late save by goalkeeper Jed Steer. That’s a real confidence boost for a defence who face their toughest remaining away assignment at Oxford on Saturday, a team who have won their last two games 4-0. Posh have solved the problem of conceding from corners by not conceding many. It was two against Wycombe at Wembley and one last night in the final minute.

3) Ferguson would have been forgiven another ruthlessness rant last night. Some of the finishing in the first-half was woeful with one Kwame Poku shot from a great position 10 yards from goal racing out for a Port Vale throw in. Indeed ‘all’ 74% possession yielded was a fluke goal, a penalty and an own goal, but Ferguson was still correct to concentrate on the positives and, after all, superb control of the football, some excellent switches of play and some fine crossing forced errors that led to goals.

4) After the Easter Monday win at Orient Ferguson claimed he had the best central midfield pairing in the division in Hector Kyprianou and Archie Collins. He could well be right as last night Kyprianou was majestic and Collins looked like he runs on Duracell batteries. Vale often outnumbered Posh in central areas, but they rarely emerged with the ball.

5) I’ve set Posh fans the task of picking a 1-2-3 for player of the season and it’s so tough to sort out from so many genuine candidates. Captain Harrison Burrows is finishing the season incredibly strongly with goals and assists galore which could hopefully impact his chances of collecting the EFL’s League One player of the year award on Sunday night. Ronnie Edwards ought to be a shoo-in for young player, although Darren Ferguson, for all his excellent work, will do well to pip Pompey’s John Mousinho for manager of the year.

6) It was perhaps a chance to give young right-back James Dornelly a run out in the final few minutes last night. The 18 year-old could be the first choice in his position next season so any minutes he receives now will help him become acclimatised to senior football. Dornelly has yet to make his first team debut.