Peterborough United are rewriting the usual script for local derby games.

It’s no longer possible to claim Posh v Cambridge United or Northampton Town at London Road will be a tight, tense affair when league position and on-field quality goes out of the window. Not in these games it doesn’t, although the formbook was sort of ignored on Saturday as Cambridge started a 6-1 thrashing having won their previous five competitive matches and hadn’t conceded a goal for well over 500 minutes.

Posh have now set record derby winning margins in this fixture two seasons in a row as they scored six goals in a Football League game for the first time since a 7-0 romp at home to Accrington Stanley in March 2021.

It’s now 11 goals in the last two League One home games and 19 goals in their last five competitive matches, and they drew a blank in one of those.

Posh celebrate their fifth goal against Cambridge United. Photo Joe Dent/theposh.com.

placeholder image — Posh celebrate their fifth goal against Cambridge United. Photo Joe Dent/theposh.com.

And yet they have a modest overall record in the division this season. They’ve proved they have the forward power to overwhelm any team, while they are showing signs of defensive improvement. Consistency is the next step to take.

TALKING POINTS FROM POSH 6 (SIX), CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1…

1) The first 20 minutes of yesterday’s game didn’t hint at such a one-sided final scoreline. Posh started slowly again, but, crucially, without conceding. They struggled against an aggressive press, but they did so in the knowledge that opponents can’t keep up the pressure for long. When they tire, Posh pounce and free their skilful, speedy forwards to deadly effect. Cambridge had been reduced to walking pace by the end of the first-half. The visiting fans who left at half-time moved much more quickly than the visiting players on the pitch.

2)It was an excellent call by Posh boss Darren Ferguson to prefer Malik Mothersille to in-form Abraham Odoh on the left side of the front three. Poku will understandably grab the majority of the headlines, but for me Mothersille was the outstanding player of the first-half. He combined pace, direct running and great technical ability with some excellent passing, and he looks as likely to miss as a penalty as Ivan Toney, such is his self-confidence. His link-up play with left-back Jack Sparkes, who was also outstanding, was close to the levels seen last season with Harrison Burrows and Ephron Mason-Clark.

Chris Conn-Clarke helps Kwame Poku celebrate his hat-trick goal. Photo Joe Dent/theposh.com.

3) Posh fans must enjoy Poku while they can. He’s currently League One’s best player by some distance, and now on course for an unprecedented hat-trick of Player-of-the-Month awards. Any temptation to cash in on the 23 year-old in January must be resisted and probably will be as a fee can still be commanded when his contract expires at the end of the season. If Posh can get offers of £5 million for Ephron Mason-Clark, what price could they get for Poku, a player with more goal contributions (15) than anyone else in the top four divisions? Mo Salah is second. Poku’s development is another feather in the cap for the Posh talent spotting department as well as the coaches at London Road.

4) The position of Hector Kyprianou is a tricky one though. If Manchester City loanee Mahamadou Susoho is as good as Posh think, and he sparkles at London Road when he’s back in action in January, Posh could justifiably decide to make some money on their Cypriot international midfielder who is also out of contract at the end of the season and could leave on a free transfer. Ryan De Havilland and Donay O’Brien-Brady have proven to be more than adequate cover for central midfield areas at this level. De Havilland gets through matches largely unnoticed such is the explosive power of those in front of him, but he was good gain yesterday and rewarded with a well-taken goal.

5) Ricky-Jade Jones is the other key Posh player out of contract at the end of the 2024-25 season and what a player he has become. Soon pundits will be talking about his his technique, goals and strength as much as that ridiculous pace. His part in Poku’s first goal was perfectly executed and he was also in right place at the right time to bundle home the crucial opening goal which shows he’s learning a key component in a complete striker’s arsenal – positioning.

6) I’ve attended four Remembrance Day reflections at football matches this season. Three times the minute’s silence was impeccably observed, but yesterday’s was embarrassingly abandoned as fans refused to behave themselves. Some things are more important than football and honouring those who fought and died for their country in wars is one of them. Those who ruined the ceremony with ignorant braying should be ashamed of themselves.