Peterborough United back to their best as they thump Shrewsbury Town to get their season up and running

All the things that made Posh so watchable last season were on display again even with though there’s been a manic makeover in terms of personnel. The comfort in possession, the pretty passing patterns, pace out wide and some excellent team goals produced a 4-1 win which, although the result was still in the balance in the final moments, didn’t flatter Posh at all. Darren Ferguson’s men are still missing chances and still happy to play risk-reward football at the back, but it all adds to the entertainment level.

Kwame Poku scored the first two goals with superb finishes off right and then left foot with Joel Randall scoring twice from close range in two minutes at the death. Those two were excellent as were Abraham Odoh and Archie Collins, while defensively Posh also stood strong with Emmanuel Fernandez and Sam Curtis showing much-improved form. Shrewsbury were poor, but then they were made to look poor by the standard and quality of the opposition even though they had the boost of scoring first.

Posh made three changes to the starting line-up that bowed out of the Carabao Cup last time out with Malik Mothersille and Poku replacing Ricky-Jade Jones and Cian Hayes, while, as expected, Jed Steer replaced Nicholas Bilokapic in goal. Hayes had been a bright spark in the cup loss at Oxford, while Poku apparently nursed a sore foot.

There was so sign of any Poku discomfort in the first half of this game as Posh took control after sluggish opening five minutes. The winger revelled in open space as did Randall, but Posh again struggled to find a finish to add to Poku’s clinical strike two minutes after the home side had taken the lead against the run of play.

Poku and Mothersille linked up well to free Randall on nine minutes, but his shot was tame and easily saved. Poku then whistled a shot just past a post from the edge of the area, and a fine Randall run ended with a blocked shot, before the main men combined again before Poku’s shot was superbly saved by Shrews goalkeeper Toby Savin.

Inevitably, given the way things had gone for Posh so far this season, the home side struck first with a speculative 25 yarder from Carl Winchester that might have taken a nick off Emmanuel Fernandez before nestling in the corner of the net on 21 minutes.

But the Posh response was immediate as Odoh showed fine control before jinking inside. His attempted pass to Randall was well defended, but Poku pounced to drill the ball home. Credit too, to referee Ben Toner who played a terrific advantage as Sparkes was fouled as he played the ball forward to Odoh.

And Posh should have gone in front two minutes later when a lovely Curtis through ball sent Mothersille in on goal, but he failed to beat Savin.

The pace of the game slowed as both sides suffered a defensive injury which required a substitution with Jack Sparkes the Posh man to suffer. Curtis switched to left-back with James Dornelly, who was also very good, coming on to play right-back and Curtis should have celebrated a goal assist in the final minute of the half. Odoh again impressed with his touch and pass which Curtis accepted and burst into the penalty area before teeing up Mothersille two yards from goal. The ball was played slightly behind the striker, but it was still a sitter that he managed to miss by dribbling the ball straight at Savin.

The home side showed much more aggression after the break and ruffled a few feathers, but they also irritated referee Ben Toner who gave Posh succession of free kicks.

And as soon as Posh rediscovered their passing skills they went in front just before the hour mark. Randall’s neat touch in the middle of the park set Collins away, Toner again played a good advantage, and the Posh skipper ran hard before teeing up Poku perfectly. The wideman still had a bit to do, but his first-time shot screamed into the roof of the net.

Dornelly’s perfect through ball soon set Randall galloping away, but his cross was well defended and three substitutions did pep the home side up a little. Set-pieces always looked the likeliest route to an equaliser and a combination of Steer and Collins stopped Josh Kayode from heading home from close range.

That the was the last threat Posh faced and they scored the extra goals their play demanded when Odoh, substitute Jones and a home defender combined to give Randall an 87th minute tap-in and then the number 10 scored from similar range within 90 seconds after an exchange with Odoh.

Perfection for Poku was almost achieved when he rattled the crossbar after Jones had burst into the penalty area in added time, but nothing was going to stop Posh enjoying this afternoon as they completed a third straight win in this fixture.

Posh: Jed Steer, Jack Sparkes (sub James Dornelly, 36 mins), Emmanuel Fernandez, Oscar Wallin, Sam Curtis, Donay O’Brien-Brady, Archie Collins, Abraham Odoh, Joel Randall, Kwame Poku, Malik Mothersille (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 78 mins).

Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, Romoney Crichlow, Chris Conn-Clarke, David Ajiboye, Cian Hayes.

Shrewsbury: Toby Savin, Luca Hoole, Toto Nsiala, Mal Benning, Morgan Feeney (sub Aaron PIerre, 27 mins), Carl Winchester, Harrison Biggins (sub George Lloyd, 69 mins), Tom Bloxham (sub Charles Sagoe jr, 69 mins), Jordan Shipley, Tommi O’Reilly, John Marquis (sub Josh Kayode, 69 mins).

Unused subs: Joe Young, Jordan Rossiter, Taylor Perry.

GOALS: Posh – Posh – Poku (23 mins & 59 mins), Randall (87 & 89 mins).

Shrewsbury – Winchester (21 mins).

CAUTIONS: Shrewsbury – O’Reilly (foul). Marquis (foul), Hoole (foul).

REFEREE: Ben Toner 7.

Attendance: 6,015 (618 Posh).