Peterborough United are due some Christmas cheer after too many Boxing Day hangovers

Posh have won just three of their last 14 EFL games played on Boxing Day, or on the next matchday after December 26.

Posh haven’t won a Boxing Day game since the 3-1 success at Bradford City in 2017, and they ruined that joyous feeling by losing to a nine-man MK Dons side a few days later.

And Posh haven’t won a home Boxing Day game since seeing off Chesterfield 2-0 in 2015.

Last season was particularly grim for Posh as they were battered 3-0 at home by Mansfield Town on Boxing Day after conceding three times in the opening 31 minutes. A few days later Posh suffered a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Barnsley.

CHRISTMAS PAST

(Boxing Day results first)

2024: Lost 0-3 (Mansfield, home), Lost 1-3 (Barnsley, home).

2023: Drew 2-2 (Reading, home), Drew 2-2 (Barnsley, home).

2022: Drew 1-1 (Charlton, away), Won 2-0 (MK Dons, home).

2020 & 2021: No games – Covid

2019: Lost 0-3 (Doncaster, home), Lost (0-4 Rotherham, away).

2018: Lost 0-2 (Barnsley, away), Won 4-0 (Accrington, away).

2017: Won 3-1 (Bradford C, away), Lost 0-1 (MK, away).

2016: Drew 1-1 (Gillingham, home), Drew 1-1 (Coventry, home).

BETTER TIMES

It hasn’t always been bad news on Boxing Day though. Here are three memorable Posh wins.

2012

Posh were bottom of the Championship when they won 3-0 at mid-table Wolves with goals from Lee Tomlin, Tommy Rowe and Dwight Gayle in front of over 23,000 fans at Molineux.

Gayle and on-loan West Brom midfielder George Thorne prompted huge improvement in Posh, but the latter was recalled by his parent club after this game.

This was the season when Posh lost their first seven league games and yet finished on 54 points, a record high number for a relegated team.

2011

Posh were mid-table in the Championship and Nottingham Forest were in the bottom three when they clashed at the City Ground in front of almost 25,000 fans.

Posh won 1-0 thanks to a George Boyd goal in the 20th minute and went on to survive in the second tier for the only time under manager Darren Ferguson.

1996

Two superb goals from winger Scott Houghton in the opening 25 minutes delivered a 2-0 win for Posh at Millwall in Division Two. Posh were in the bottom four at the time and Millwall were in the top four.

It was Barry Fry’s first season as manager at London Road, one that ended in relegation.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

For the third season running Posh have been handed two Christmas home games with Leyton Orient visiting the Weston Homes Stadium on Boxing Day (3pm kick off), followed by Reading on Monday, December 29 (7.45pm).

Posh didn’t win either of these fixtures last season. It finished 0-0 with Orient and 2-1 to Reading.

Posh have won six and lost 6 of 18 Football League meetings with Orient at London Road, but have a very impressive record against Reading with 12 wins and just three losses in 20 clashes.

Boxing Day games: AFC Wimbledon v Stevenage, Barnsley v Mansfield, Blackpool v Doncaster, Bolton v Rotherham, Bradford C v Wigan, Burton v Northampton, Cardiff v Exeter, Huddersfield v Port Vale, Luton v Wycombe, Posh v Orient, Plymouth v Reading, Stockport v Lincoln.

December 29 games: AFC Wimbledon v Exeter, Barnsley v Lincoln, Blackpool v Rotherham, Bolton v Mansfield, Bradford C v Port Vale, Burton v Wigan, Cardiff v Stevenage, Huddersfield v Northampton, Luton v Orient, Posh v Reading, Plymouth v Wycombe, Stockport v Doncaster.