Peterborough United slip further away from the play-off places, record signing scores twice, and a first goal since 2020 for one of the great Posh strikers

Posh remain in seventh place, but are now five points adrift of the play-off places following a 3-1 win for sixth-placed Barnsley over Accrington Stanley at Oakwell. The Tykes were 3-0 up after 19 minutes.

But fifth-placed Bolton are within reach of Darren Ferguson’s men. The Trotters went down 2-1 at promotion rivals Derby County with ex-Posh men Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Derby) and Kieran Sadlier (Bolton) scoring. Bolton are six points ahead of Posh who now have two matches in hand.

Posh are at next-to-bottom Burton on Tuesday (January 24) when Bolton host bottom club Forest Green Rovers and Barnsley make the long trip to Exeter City.

Mid-table teams Shrewsbury and Oxford United moved to within three points of Posh after wins over Cambridge United (5-1) and Ipswich Town (2-1) respectively. Cambridge have lost 14 of their last 19 League One games and now have just two teams below them in the table.

Elsewhere former Posh record signing Mo Eisa scored twice as MK Dons won a crucial relegation battle 2-1 at Forest Green to move out of the bottom four.

In the Championship there was a first goal since December 2020 for ex-Posh star Dwight Gayle as Stoke City romped to a 4-0 win over Reading.

And in League Two Tom Nichols made it two goals in two games as Gillingham won for the second game in a row, 2-0 at Colchester, to boost their chances of avoiding the drop.

And former Posh boss Steve Evans continues to work his magic as Stevenage beat Leyton Orient 3-0 at home in a game between the top two in the division. Stevenage are now just two points behind the Os with a game in hand and nine points clear of third-placed Northampton Town who didn’t play today.