Peterborough United halted a hoodoo thanks to clinical finishing and doughty defending at Wycombe Wanderers
This is not a drill. Peterborough United have won at Wycombe Wanderers in a Football League match.
Richard Logan was the matchwinner when it last happened in 2003. Wingers Kyrell Lisbie and Cian Hayes, a second-half substitute, were the scorers today as Posh won 2-0 thanks to a couple of well crafted goals, some doughty defending and some good fortune as the hosts came close scoring on several occasions in the second-half.
Only Wycombe fans would begrudge Posh some luck at this venue. There have been some traumatic outcomes here over the years, not all them deserved.
Those with knowledge of that history would have travelled south with much trepidation especially as key defenders had been ruled out, but call-ups George Nevett and James Dornelly were both excellent in front of a goalkeeper who kept things interesting by passing the ball regularly to the opposition. Alex Bass did make one super save early in the second-half though, a crucial moment in a game full of them.
Posh received a pre-game boost when top scorer Harry Leonard was declared fit after his horror fall from the previous weekend. Indeed it was the hosts who were missing their top scorer as Fred Onyedinma was absent for personal reasons.
As expected Dornelly and Nevett replaced Peter Kioso (suspended) and Tom O’Connor (injured) in the Posh defence.
And it looked every bit a makeshift Posh back four in the opening five minutes. Bradley Fink wasted a great shooting chance after just 15 seconds after a gaping hole appeared in the middle of the Posh defence.
Bass then inexplicably dropped an easy catch, but Tom Lees was on hand to guide the ball, after a poke at goal, away from danger. Bass then played Brandon Khela into trouble, but Posh scrambled the ball clear again and once Caolan Boyd-Munce fired just over from 20 yards Posh settled and started to dominate the ball with Wycombe happy to sit in their shape and wait for errors.
Posh created nothing, but then a patient spell of passing was followed by some incisive one touch football down the right between Matt Garbett, Dornelly and Jimmy-Jay Morgan. Collins delivered the perfect cross from an excellent first-time pass from Morgan for Lisbie to tap in from close range to give Posh a 37th minute lead.
The goal did wake Wycombe up a bit and Boyd-Munce side-footed just wide with Bass seemingly beaten.
Posh could have gone 2-0 up when Garbett broke up a Wycombe move on halfway. He fed Jimmy-Jay Morgan who dodged inside neatly before firing a weak shot wide when under no pressure at all.
The hosts changed shape for the second half swapping a centre-back for a winger. They almost equalised immediately when Bass had to react well to keep out Fink’s close range header.
Posh boss Luke Williams reacted to the home side’s fast start by making two changes, rather surprisingly the influential Garbett was one player to leave, but we are learning not to question the decision-making of Luke Williams. He even sent on under 18 player Patryk Sykut on to help see the game out with the youngster producing one excellent piece of skill to get Posh moving forward.
Substitute Wycombe winger Junior Quitirma linked up well with full-back Jack Grimmer and two crosses from the latter almost led to goals. Cauley Woodrow couldn’t convert the first one amd Tom Lees cleared the second off the line as Luke Harris threatened to make a goal-scoring debut.
Posh had barely attacked when they suddenly pounced for 2-0 on 68 minutes. Lisbie received a pass from Khela and crossed with precision for Hayes to net from close range.
A header from home centre-back Dan Casey soon thudded against the crossbar from a corner before Woodrow missed badly after intercepting an errant pass from Bass.
But Posh finished the stronger and should have made it 3-0 two minutes from time when Hayes robbed Grimmer, elected to pass to fellow sub Pemi Aderoju when a shot was on. Aderoju’s shot was saved by former Posh ‘keeper Will Norris and his follow-up was brilliant deflected over the crossbar by a combination of defender and ‘keeper.
It didn’t matter on this occasion. A jink had been broken, a hoodoo was halted and Posh could eye up the play-off places again.
Posh: Alex Bass, Carl Johnston, Tom Lees, George Nevett, James Dornelly, Archie Collins, Brandon Khela (sub Patryk Sykut, 82 mins), Kyrell Lisbie (sub Declan Frith, 73 mins), Matt Garbett (sub Donay O’Brien-Brady, 54 mins), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (sub Cian Hayes, 54 mins), Harry Leonard (sub Pemi Aderoju, 82 mins).
Unused subs: Bastian Smith, Lucca Mendonca.
Wycombe: Will Norris, Jack Grimmer, Daniel Harvie, Taylor Allen (sub Armando Quitirna, 46 mins), Boyd-Munce, Luke Leahy (sub Cameron Stones, 87 mins), Dan Casey, Luke Harris, Anders Hagerskjaer, Cauley Woodrow (sub Jamie Mullins, 72 mins), Bradley Fink.
Unused subs: Mikki Van Sas, Naill Huggins, Declan Skura, Connor Taylor.
Posh goals: Lisbie (37 mins), Hayes (68 mins).
Posh caution: Dornelly (delaying the re-start).
Referee: Tom Reeves 7
Attendance: 7,166 (792 Posh).