Peterborough United put on second half show to blow away Port Vale on winning return for Darren Ferguson

There aren't many firsts for Darren Ferguson left to achieve at Posh after 515 games in the job but he managed one on Monday night as a picked up a win in his opening match of a spell for the first time.

Two defeats and a draw had preceded this one but on this occasion, a second half show from Posh and Ephron Mason-Clarkin particular was was enough to see off Port Vale, who began the night level on points with Posh.

It was Grant McCann’s signing Mason-Clark with a double, both from sharp counter attacks, that sealed the points and just a fourth away win of the season to provide fresh hope for the final 21 games of the season.

True to form, the two sides were locked together in the first half, with just the one major chance coming for either side. Both were missed but Mason-Clark will be rueing hie one as it denied him a hat-trick.

In the second though, Posh pulled away from their hosts and Mason-Clark proved the difference, first heading home an accurate Jonson Clarke-Harris knockdown on the line and then sliding a Joe Ward crosses just a few yards out.

Ferguson made four changes to Grant McCann’s last team but surprised many by not restoring Jack Marriott to the starting eleven as he lined up with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Will Norris came in for a debut and wore the number one, almost certainly signaling the end of Lucas Bergstrom’s loan spell. Nathan Thompson replaced Kell Watts in what seems to suggest the loan defender is the one with the potentially season-ending injury, Dan Butler slotted back in at left back and Ephron Mason-Clark replaced Ricky-Jade Jones.

The new style was on show straight away as Dan Butler and Nathan Thompson were flooding into midfield every time Posh got the ball but unfortunately that was all too infrequently in the first half.

There were fears before the game about the state of the pitch in the freezing temperatures but as the game commenced, it was clear it was cutting up badly and not conducive to good football and it showed in the lack of chances.

Port Vale dominated the ball but were unable to work a way past the Posh defence until Jack Taylor inadvertently diverted David Worrall’s cross into the path of Mal Benning inside eight minutes. Norris raced off his line to save well and give himself an early confidence boost.

Posh continued to be pushed back and had to look for chances on the break but their chance came on the half-hour mark when Lewis Cass presented the ball right to Ephron Mason-Clark. He forced his way past two defenders, got himself in on goal and did everything but put the ball in the bottom corner, dragging it well wide.

Just before that, he had shown a heavy touch when played in by an impressive chipped through ball from Jack Taylor.

The half ended with the hosts on top and begun that way but it was Posh with a stunning counter attack that broke the deadlock on 56 minutes. Joe Ward sent a deep hanging cross towards Jonson Clarke-Harris at the far post, it drew the keeper, and once the forward headed it back across goal Ephron Mason-Clark was there for a simple diving header.

Just minutes later, Clarke-Harris was free again but could only plant Kwame Poku’s cross wide when looking for the bottom corner.

Mason-Clark continued to show the way to goal though sweeping in a lovely flowing counter attack starting with Poku and ending in Ward picking him out perfectly after 64 minutes.

From then on, Vale went to pieces as Posh seized control and could have even widened the margin of victory. The closest they came was when Kwake Poku saw a curling effort from range tipped around the post by Jack Stevens.

Posh: Will Norris, Dan Butler, Frankie Kent, Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Thompson, Joe Ward, Hector Kyprianou, Jack Taylor, Kwame Poku (sub Harrison Burrows 80 mins), Ephron Mason-Clark, Jonson Clarke-Harris

Not used: Will Blackmore, Josh Knight, Nathanael Ogbeta, Ben Thompson, Ricky-Jade Jones, Jack Marriott

Port Vale: Jack Stevens, Lewis Cass, Dan Jones (sub Will Forrester 81 mins), Nathan Smith, David Worrall (sub Sammy Robinson 56 mins), Ben Garrity, Mal Benning, Gavin Massey, Mipo Odubeko, Tom Pett (sub Funso Ojo 80mins), Danny Butterworth (sub Dennis Politic 65 mins).

Not used: Aidan Stone, Rory Holden, Derek Agyakwa.

Goals- Mason-Clark (56 and 64 mins)

Cautions- Posh

Poku (time wasting)

Attendance- 5109.

Ref- Peter Wright 8.