Peterborough United goalkeeper in call for standards to remain high as Posh prepare to play two top-four Championship teams

Standards have now been set with a first clean sheet of the season - in Cornell’s first game - accompanying some exhilarating attacking football.

Cornell was called up after regular number one Christy Pym was axed following a post-match bust-up with manager Darren Ferguson.

Next up for Posh are two tricky games at fourth-placed Coventry City on Friday (September 24) and at home to leaders Bournemouth on Wednesday, September 29.

“It was a perfect day for us,” Cornell stated. “We controlled most of the game. We could have scored a couple more goals, but when we did come under pressure the boys defended superbly.

“We had spotted a weakness in Birmingham’s pressing game and we exploited it. It helps that Ronnie Edwards is so comfortable on the ball, but he still needs to have players available for a pass and he always did. Every time I looked up Jack Taylor appeared to be free.

“I was buzzing for the clean sheet. It’s number one for the season and now we have to go out and get number two. It’s tough coming straight from training into a match, but I felt I handled it okay. There were a couple of saves I was happy with.

“The season starts now for us. If we play with the confidence and belief we showed against Birmingham we will be ok.”

There’s a good chance Posh will have no recognised striker at Coventry as a verdict on an FA charge for Jonson Clarke-Harris for alleged historical absusive social media comments is expected this week. He is likely to face a sizeable ban if found guilty.

Summer signing Jack Marriot and teenage forward Ricky-Jade Jones are long-term absentees.

Pym bust up