Peterborough United blew a great chance to make big inroads into the gap at the top of League One

Posh twice led lowly Reading at the Weston Homes Stadium with goals from Josh Knight and Ephron Mason-Clark before accepting a 2-2 draw, on a day when leaders Portsmouth were beaten by a late goal at Bristol Rovers.

To be fair to Reading they delivered a display that belied their perilous position, and in Femi Azeez they have a player of real quality, but Posh had enough of the ball and created enough chances to win handsomely. They might also have had three first-half penalties with better and braver officiating.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson resisted the chance to make any team changes so the same starting line-up took to the field for the seventh League One match in a row.

Reading, whose form has been better than 21st place in the division would suggest, dropped out ex-Cambridge United striker Sam Smith and recalled lanky Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, a player who gave Posh a few problems on the opening day of the season.

It was a very young Royals team with several Academy graduates with an average age of 21, according to the visiting media.

And for the opening quarter Reading belied their lowly position. They had youth and energy and a decent winger in Azeez who sent over a couple of decent crosses.

But Posh were soon bossing possession although it took a while to create anything worthwhile against the team with the worst away record in League One.

Indeed it took a fine covering tackle from Archie Collins to stop a promising Reading breakaway before Posh took control in a the final 10 minutes of the half.

A lovely pass from Joel Randall into Ephron Mason-Clark should have been rewarded with a goal in the 38th minute, but the forward’s shot hit the outside of the post.

Two minutes later Posh did score when Knight was left unmarked to head home Randall’s deep corner to claim his first goal of the season and two minutes after that Mason-Clark missed an even better chance again after Randall teed him up. The finish was wild though with the ball flying high and wide.

Posh kept the pressure on and from back-to-back corners referee David Rock ignored two strong penalty claims as Ronnie Edwards was clearly held by Amadou Mbengue. Peter Kioso might also won a penalty earlier in the game when knocked over from behind by Jeriel Dorsett.

Posh were immediately on the attack after the break as Randall saw a shot blocked by a defender before Reading ‘keeper David Button beat away a powerful Harrison Burrows shot.

Posh thought they had scored a second on 55 minutes when a peach of a cross from Collins was side-footed home by Hector Kyprianou, but the scorer was flagged offside.

Posh should have scored two minutes later, but Poku made a right hash of a free far post header from a deep Burrows cross.

There has long been a suspicion the succession of missed chances seemingly every game would come back and haunt Posh one day and so it proved as a low right wing cross was somehow diverted over the goal-line at a snail’s pace. Substitute Smith claimed it, but more likely came off a Posh player, Bilokapic or Edwards.

Reading were naturally inspired and almost took the lead with a stunning 25 yard blast by Azeez which crashed against the post with Bilokapic beaten.

But it was Posh who struck next. A fine pass from Collins was played expertly first time by Burrows to Mason-Clark who twisted and turned before firing low past Button with just over 20 minutes to go.

It should have been enough to see Posh home, but they failed to make pressure count and defended poorly to enable the visitors to snatch a late point.

Smith almost levelled when Knight was unfortunate to slip over when about to head clear a cross, but his overhead kick just cleared the crossbar.

Burrows also went close with an acrobatic overhead kick from further out, but the ball flew past a post.

But it was a struggle defensively for the left-back who made a mad decision to charge out and contest a headed challenge from a long cross-field ball which he lost and the right wing cross was half cleared to the edge of the area from where Azeez delivered a superb first-time finish five minutes from time.

Posh huffed and puffed for the final stages, but couldn’t find a man with a cross or beat brave defenders with a shot.

The draw did move Posh a point closer to the top and they stayed second, but wins for Bolton and Derby were not helpful in the quest to stay in an automatic promotion spot for the rest of the festive programme.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Josh Knight, Peter Kioso, Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins, Ephron Mason-Clark, Joel Randall (sub David Ajiboye, 80 mins), Kwame Poku, Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Malik Mothersille, 86 mins).

Unused subs: Fynn Talley, Jadel Katongo, Romoney Crichlow, Ryan De Havilland, Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Reading: David Button, Abraham Dorsett, Nelson Abbey, Tom Holmes, Amadou Mbengue (sub Ben Elliott, 61 mins), Michael Craig, Paul Mukairu (sub Clinton Mola, 61 mins), Harvey Knibbs, Lewis Wing, Femi Azeez, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan (sub Sam Smith, 55 mins),

Unused subs: Joel Pereira, Charlie Savage, Tyler Bindon, Caylan Vickers

Goals: Posh – Knight (40 mins), Mason-Clark (69 mins).

Reading – Smith (63 mins), Azeez (85 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Mason-Clark (foul). Reading – Mbenque (dissent), Smith (foul), Knibbs (foul).

Referee: David Rock 5

Attendance: 10,441 (564 Reading).