Peterborough United have one more shot at the play-offs, but another home blank has made life much more difficult

That’s the sole positive from this mess of a football match as Posh failed to score at home for the seventh time in 2023. They barely created a chance against a modest Bristol Rovers outfit who, despite having nothing to play for themselves, were as happy to waste time as they were to try and score a goal.

Derby’s home draw with Portsmouth means Posh still carry hope into their final game, but they will need to win at Barnsley while hoping Derby lose at Sheffield Wednesday. If Derby draw Posh will need to win by three goals to overtake the Rams, an unlikely scenario although form has been better away than at home since Darren Ferguson returned.

This was a strange display from a team who started the game probably thinking they needed to win.

After a bright opening 10 minutes, they played far too slowly in possession for the rest of the first half.

Urged on by a lively home crowd Posh showed more urgency after the break, but when composure was needed, passes and shots were rushed. Obvious passes were also missed and in the final quarter Rovers looked as likely to score as their hosts.

Will Norris made one fine diving save to thwart the shock winner of the League One player-of-the-season award Aaron Collins 15 minutes from time, while slow-moving visiting goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe was forced into just one difficult save in the first-half from a long distance Jonson Clarke-Harris strike.

Manager Darren Ferguson made two changes to the side outclassed by Ipswich Town the previous week.

Josh Knight was recalled to play at right-back with Dan Butler making way. Kwame Poku was also restored to the starting line-up ahead of Hector Kyprianou as Posh reverted to a 4-2-1-3 formation with Jack Taylor dropping back alongside Oliver Norburn after a two-game experiment further forward.

Rovers selected plenty of attacking threat, on paper at least. Former Posh youngster Harry Anderson was among the substitutes.

Posh started like a team with a season on the line, but it didn’t last. For 10 minutes they won a few set-pieces, sent the ball into the penalty area, but failed to make pressure count.

A Taylor header from a Ward corner, appeard to hit a teammate, but an early injury to left-back Nathanael Ogbeta, who limped off after 17 minutes, appeared to disrupt Posh.

The passing became slow, ponderous and rather negative. There was no attacking drive, very little precision and too many runs into offside positions.

Rovers offered little going forward as well with Josh Coburn missing their best opportunity after Taylor had been robbed in his own half. The on-loan Middlesbrough forward rushed his shot and fired well wide.

Posh did better when they went longer, earlier. Clarke-Harris won headers and Kwame Poku picked up pieces. The captain’s 30 yard stinger that was well saved on 38 minutes was the only moment of excitement though.

Posh tried hard after the break as the home crowd became involved, but there was liitle cohesion or creativity.

Taylor reached a Poku corner, but diverted the ball wide from a difficult position. The midfielder then delivered a surging run into the box. His shot was blocked behind for a corner with Taylor taking the opportunity to ask his team’s fans for even greater backing.

The supporters weren’t the problem. Taylor himself made two terrible passing decisions when in great positions before Clarke-Harris nodded a Mason-Clak cross wide from a tight angle. The skipper also could have done better with another cross from the left, but appeared to get caught in two minds and his effort drifted past a post.

And that was nowhere near enough for a team with an eye on promotion. They now get one more opportunity, albeit at the fourth-best team in the division.

Posh: Will Norris, Nathanael Obgbeta (sub Dan Butler. 20 mins), Frankie Kent, Ronnie Edwards, Josh Knight (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 76 mins), Joe Ward, Oliver Norburn (sub Hector Kyprianou, 57 mins), Jack Taylor, Ephron Mason-Clark, Kwame Poku, Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Harrison Burrows, Ben Thompson, Kabongo Tshimanga

Rovers: Ellery Balcombe, Lewis Gordon, Jarell Quansah, Sam Finley, Grant Ward, Lewis Gibson, Ryan Loft (sub Jon Marquis, 71 mins), Lamare Bogarde (sub Scott Sinclair, 71 mins), James Gibbons, Josh Coburn, Aaron Collins (sub Harry Anderson, 89 mins).

Unused subs: James Belshaw, James Connolly, Calum MacDonald, Luca Hoole.

Cautions: Posh – Norburn (foul), Butler (unsportsmanlike conduct), Taylor (foul).

Rovers – Gibbons (foul). Bogarde (foul), Finley (deliberate handball), Loft (unsportsmanlike conduct), Balcombe (time wasting).

Referee: Darren Drysdale

Attendance: 9,494 (515 Bristol Rovers fans),