Peterborough United can forget all about the play-offs after this collective disaster

Credit to Cheltenham Town who were excellent in comparison. They were helped on their way by some dozy defending and goalkeeping in the opening quarter, but they were good enough to take advantage here and a 3-0 win in no way flattered them.

Alfie May, a former Darren Ferguson signing, scored two superb goals, one of them was quite spectacular, after the visitors had opened the scoring from a corner, one given away in quite laughable fashion.

Posh made one change to their starting line-up with forward Kwame Poku replacing full-back Nathan Thompson. That meant a drop back into defence for Joe Ward.

Former Posh player Ryan Broom was handed an attacking midfield role in the Cheltenham side.

A sign of things to come arrived in the first minute when a horrible bobble saw Frankie Kent slice the ball out of play for a corner.

It proved symptomatic of the opening quarter which saw Posh ship two goals, both were splendid finishes, but both so avoidable.

On-loan goalkeeper Will Norris appeared to be fast asleep on 16 minutes when a hopeful pass forward was left by Kent in the knowledge his keeper would sweep up.

But no. Norris dithered as Alfie May pounced. Norris did thwart May’s attempt at goal, but from the poorly-defended corner centre-back Tom Bradbury volleyed home. It was the first goal Cheltenham had scored from a corner this season.

And five minutes later Norris was caught out again, although May’s superb vision and brilliant execution was the main reason he scored from close to the halfway line with a terrific thump at goal. The goalkeeper didn’t exactly rush back to save.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson’s response was to make a double substitution with Oliver Norburn and Nathan Thompson replacing Hector Kyprianou and, rarther surprisingly, Ephron Mason-Clark.

There was no change of formation, but the moves did provide energy and drive against a team happy to sit deep and in numbers.

Ward thumped a fierce left-foot shot against the crossbar from a Poku cross and a Johnson Clarke-Harris tap-in was ruled out for offside, probably against Poku who squared the ball to the skipper after a shot deflected into his path.

May was a constant threat on the counter though and he ran through in first-half injury time only for a combination of pitch, Kent and Norris to deny him.

Of course Posh were 2-0 down to this opposition at half-time on the opening day of the season, but there was no threat of a comeback in this game.

Once a dangerous cross from Ogbeta had been cleared well from under his own bar by Will Ferry, Posh just appeared to accept their fate. Initial challenges were all lost, no second-balls were won and passes were woefully inaccurate from all directions. The awful pitch was a minor mitigation.

One neat pass from Taylor freed Burrows into the area, but his cross was blocked and Taylor, who was later cautioned for simulation, spoilt a strong run with a weak shot straight at goalkeeper Luke Southwood.

But the visitors always looked more likely to score as May and Broom scampered around efficiently, although it took a long throw to complete a well-earned victory.

The header out was weak and straight to May who unleased another great strike from 20 yards. It wasn’t as spectacular as his first goal, but it was still far more skilful than anything Posh offered in response.

There was a late scramble which saw a shot from substitute Joel Randall well blocked, but other than that the response to adversity, with the season effectively on the line, was pitiful.

It’s now four games without a goal from open play and teams don’t get close to play-off positions with that sort of record.

Posh: Will Norris, Nathanael Ogbeta (sub Dan Butler, 75 mins), Frankie Kent, Ronnie Edwards (sub Kabongo Tshimanga, 57 mins), Joe Ward, Jack Taylor, Hector Kyprianou (sub Nathan Thompson, 25 mins), Ephron Mason-Clark (sub Oli Norburn, 26 mins), Harrison Burrows (sub Joel Randall, 75 mins), Kwame Poku, Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Ricky-Jade Jones.

Cheltenham: Luke Southwood, Ryan Jackson, Sean Long, Caleb Taylor, Tom Bradbury, Will Ferry (sub Ben Williams, 65 mins), Elliot Bonds (sub Taylor Perry, 85 mins), Liam Sercombe (sub Gen Rea, 69 mins), Ryan Broom, Aidan Keena (sub Will Goodwin, 65 mins), Alfie May.

Unused subs: Shaun MacDonald, Elkan Baggott, James Olayinka.

Goals: Cheltenham – Bradbury (16 mins), May (22 mins & 75 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Kent (foul), Taylor (simulation), Poku (foul).

Cheltenham – Bonds (foul), Broom (time-wasting).

Referee: Alan Young 8

Attendance: 8,947 (Cheltenham to follow).