Peterborough United overcome a horror start to reach the second round of the FA Cup

Some calamitous defending saw the League Two hosts storm into a 2-0 lead inside eight minutes at Rodney Parade. Posh suffered further scares at the back, but eventually their forward power told and goals from Abraham Odoh (his first for the club) and Joel Randall dragged Posh level before two late strikes from substitute Ricky-Jade Jones sent Posh into Sunday’s second round draw.

It was a far from convincing display from a side who remain worryingly vulnerable at the back, but credit to them for showing impressive powers of recovery.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson made his expected changes with Oscar Wallin left out of the matchday squad altogether and Jones relegated to the substitutes’ bench, although for reasons of recuperation rather than form. George Nevett started alongside Emmanuel Fernandez at the heart of the Posh defence with Odoh coming back into the starting forward line on the left wing with Malik Mothersille taking on centre forward duties.

Nine substitutes can be named on FA Cup days and Posh filled up their bench with the returning Chris Conn-Clarke, a recalled loan player in Harley Mills, the rarely sighted goalkeeper Will Blackmore and 17 year-old youth team centre-back Lucca Mendonca, who would have become the first Brazilian to play for Posh if he’d managed to get on.

Newport had illness issues leading up to the game, but also managed to name 19 players. It was Posh who looked sick at the start of the game after conceding twice in the opening stages, a period Fernandez will want to forget.

It was the central defender’s poor touch from a harmless cross which led to a foul and a 20-yard free kick which was steered into the side of the net Nicholas Bilokapic was theoretically defending by Anthony Glennon in the third minute.

And Fernandez then slipped enabling Kai Whitmore to steer a precise shot into the net for 2-0. Defensive horrors continue to haunt this side and this time their goalkeeper wasn’t able to bale his team out. Indeed Bilokapic had almost gifted the hosts the lead in the first minute when losing the ball close to his own goal, but the danger passed.

Posh did settle. They won a flurry of early corners and eight in total in a first-half they went on to dominate. Ryan De Havilland saw a 20-yarder saved and a quick free kick led to Mothersille side-footing Odoh’s cross wide. Not for the first time this season Kwame Poku looked the most likely route to goal and so it proved as he danced away from his marker before crossing for Odoh to tap in from close range.

And Poku was at it again two minutes later as his burst into the box was followed by a strike that Newport ‘keeper Nick Townsend saved onto his post. Newport then should have added a third goal as a needlessly conceded free kick was followed by a poorly defended cross, but Courtney Baker-Richardson fluffed his shot from close range.

Joel Randall and Mothersille then saw shots saved by Townsend before a bizarre incident just before the break. A Jack Sparkes inswinging corner was touched goalwards by a defender and ended up in the back of the Newport net. Posh players claimed a goal while the home side insisted it had crept in through the side-netting and the officials eventually took the latter view.

Newport also started the second-half on top and thought they had scored a third goal when a corner caused havoc and a shot from Kieron Evans cannoned into the net off Barker-Richardson, but referee Stephen Martin decided a hand had been used.

Posh did start to dominate without creating much, but they persevered and were ultimately rewarded. Odoh slipped Randall in 20 minutes from time and his finish from a tight angle was impressively emphatic. Ten minutes from time James Dornelly sent a free header straight at Townsend and crosses started to fly into the home penalty area.

And from their 14th corner of the game Posh struck the decisive blow. The initial delivery from Randall was cleared to substitute Donay O’Brien-Brady on the edge of the area. His shot was weak, but Jones controlled it, slipped past a defender and fired home off the inside of the post as the home side appealed in vain for handball.

Posh still had to survive a couple of set-pieces before they forced the ball up the other end of the pitch and Jones pounced on a throw-in to speed into the area and drill home.

The roars of relief in the visiting camp were loud. A big eight days of action had started in a pleasingly positive way, eventually.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Jack Sparkes, George Nevett, Emmanuel Fernandez, James Dornelly, Ryan De Havilland (sub Donay O’Brien-Brady, 86 mins), Archie Collins, Abraham Odoh, Joel Randall, Kwame Poku, Malik Mothersille (sub Ricky-Jade Jones 64 mins).

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Harley Mills, Ollie Rose, Lucca Mendonca, David Ajiboye, Cian Hayes, Chris Conn-Clarke.

Newport: Nick Townsend, Matt Baker, Ciaran Brennan, Kyle Jameson, Cameron Evans, Anthony Glennon, Kai Whitmore (sub Luke Jephcott, 73 mins), Jamie Miley, Kieron Evans, Courtney Baker-Richardson (sub Bobby Kamwa, 66 mins), Kyle Hudlin

Unused subs: Jacob Carney, James Clarke, Michael Spellman, Aaron Wildig, Oliver Greaves, Joe Thomas, Shane Mcloughlin.

Goals: Posh – Odoh (30 mins), Randall (70 mins), Jones (89 mins & 90 + 4 mins).

Newport – Glennon (5 mins), Whitmore (8 mins).

Cautions: Posh – None.

Newport – Baker-Richards (dissent), Baker (foul).

Referee: Stephen Martin 6.

Attendance: 2,941 (466 Posh),