Peterborough United forced to battle before seeing off League One's bottom club with a high-class goal

Posh failed to deliver the fluent football of the previous week, but they showed they were up for a fight. It took a 64th-minute penalty from top scorer Jonson Clarke-Harris and a stunning individual goal from Hector Kyprianou in added time to seal a 2-0 win against opponents who made life very difficult for the play-off chasers.

The winning Ferguson would have been satisfield with his team’s commitment and defensive excellence, but there will be concern for the fitness of star midfielder Jack Taylor who limped out of the game with an ankle injury, ironically just before Posh opened the scoring.

Predictably Posh named an unchanged side for the third straight game as manager Darren Ferguson sought to stretch his perfect playing record since returning to London Road to three matches.

New striker signing Kabongo Tshimanga was on the substitutes’ bench as Joel Randall dropped out of the squad altogether.

Forest Green also left their deadline day striker Jahmari Clarke on the bench for manager Duncan Ferguson’s first home match in charge of League One’s bottom club.

Ferguson was afforded a tremendous reception by the home fans as he walked to his post in the dugout.

And the big man has certainly organised the strugglers. Helped by a tight pitch and a bobbly playing surface, the hosts filled the midfield spaces Posh had enjoyed so much the previous weekend by quickly dragging everyone behind the ball when out of possession, which was often.

Posh could find no room and looked most likely to score from a set-piece. Clarke-Harris headed wide from a difficult angle from a deep Joe Ward free kick and Frankie Kent won two key headers from corners, the first of which was bravely blocked as Hector Kyprianou prepared to pouince. Ronnie Edwards volleyed the second one straight at a defender.

Clarke-Harris also sent a 12 yard header wide after Nathan Thompson and Joe Ward had combined down the right. A controlled volleyed cross from Ward was then courageously grabbed by ‘keeper Ross Doohan just before Clarke-Harris clattered into him.

‘Pass it quicker,’ yelled Darren Ferguson on more than one occasion, although he would have been pleased at the lack of first-half threat carried by the home side.

Posh were just as slow with the ball in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, which encouraged the home side to enjoy a decent spell. Twice they progressed down their right and delivered fine crosses. Luckily for Posh there were no takers on either occasion.

Darren Ferguson responsed to a poor start by changing left-backs. It was a first meaningful run out for Swansea loanee Nathanael Ogbeta at Dan Butler’s expense.

There was almost an instant response, although from the right as Clarke-Harris muscled his way onto a superb Ward cross without finding any power on his header.

But Ogbeta did make a fine contribution for the opening goal on 64 minutes, just moments after Jack Taylor succumbed to injury. His pinpoint centre should really have been converted on the slide by Clarke-Harris, but from close range his shot cannoned into a post.

But Kwame Poku was quicker to the rebound and was tripped by Udoka Godwin-Malife for an obvious penalty. Clarke-Harris converted from the spot for the second game in a row, although Doohan was close to making a save.

Forest Green almost equalised straight away, but Norris made a superb one-handed save to thwart Amadou Bakayoko. From a corner Brandan Cooper met the ball at the back post, but headed over.

After that imperious pair Frankie Kent and Ronnie Edwards dealt with every ball flung into the area, while Nathan Thompson and Ogbeta were rocks at full-back.

Posh did break out with Clarke-Harris and substitute Ben Thompson setting up Ward for a fierce strike which was well saved by Doohan.

And the next time Posh came forward they did strike, and in some style as well. Referee Ben Toner awarded eight minutes of added time and in the fifth of them Kyprianou chased the ball towards the corner flag. He perhaps initially only had thoughts of taking time out of the game, but he he muscled his way out of the corner, carried the ball into the penalty area and unleased an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

It was a moment of high class out of context with a lot of the game, but Posh won’t worry about that as the Fergie-inspired march to the play-offs continued.

Posh: Will Norris, Dan Butler (sub Nathanael Ogbeta, 64 mins), Frankie Kent, Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Thompson, Hector Kyprianou, Jack Taylor (sub Ben Thompson, 70 mins), Joe Ward, Kwame Poku (sub Josh Knight, 80 mins), Ephron Mason-Clark, Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Harrison Burrows, Ricky-Jade Jones, Kabongo Tshimanga.

Forest Green: Ross Doohan, Udoka Godwin-Malife (sub Dom Barnard, 80 mins), Oliver Casey, Brandon Cooper, Jamie Robson, Dylan McGeouch (sub Charlie McCann 58 mins), Tyler Onyango, Myles Peart-Harris, Corey O’Keeffe, Jordan Garrick (sub Tyrese Omotoye, 79 mins), Amadou Bakayoko (sub Jahmari Clarke, 79 mins).

Unused subs: Lewis Thomas, Ben Stevenson, Kyle McAllister.

Goals: Posh – Clarke-Harris (pen, 72 mins), Kyprianou (90 + 5 mins).

Cautions: Posh – N. Thompson (foul), Norris (time wasting).

Forest Green – Godwin-Malife (foul), O’Keefe (foul), Cooper (foul), Onyango (foul).

Referee: Ben Toner 7

Attendance: 3,273 (767 Posh)