Peterborough United survived a scary finale to claim their first home win of the League One season

Posh were 3-0 up – in truth it should have been 5-0 – with a quarter of the game to go and yet played the final 20 minutes hanging on to a one-goal win after a complete collapse in defensive organisation and concentration. It needed a couple of fine saves from goalkeeper Jed Steer to keep Posh in front against a Bristol Rovers side who had showed very little attacking quality until they they were given the opportunity to score two goals in two minutes.

In-form Kwame Poku and Ricky-Jade Jones had given Posh a 2-0 lead which substitute Malik Mothersille stretched to 3-0 on 64 minutes. Rovers then made multiple substitutions and two of them, Luke McCormick and Gaitlin O’Donker, scored in quick succession, as Posh dropped deeper and deeper. They were not helped in their attempts to get up the pitch by the early departure because of injury of Ricky-Jade Jones who had terrorised the visiting defence.

Thankfully, from a Posh point of view, Rovers couldn’t find a third goal even though there was little sign of defensive security as Posh limped to their first home win of the season.

The threat from Posh boss Darren Ferguson to change formation for this game was not an idle one. Three centre-backs were selected and transfer-listed David Ajiboye was recalled from the wilderness to play as a right wing-back. Chris Conn-Clarke was picked to play as support striker to Jones with Joel Randall relegated to the substitutes’ bench alongside Sam Curtis and Abraham Odoh, two recent regular starters.

It was all a bit of a surprise, but a four-time promotion-winning manager should know what he’s doing and Posh were slick and positive in possession from kick-off. They kept the ball as usual, but there was more intent and a willingness to play forward more quickly than in previous home games this season, albeit against lesser opposition.

Oscar Wallin was deployed as the left centre-back with Jadel Katongo in the centre and Emmanuel Fernandez on the right. Wallin was the most aggressive runner with the ball with Conn-Clarke very busy in various positions in front of him.

On 10 minutes some fine football and a neat flick from Conn-Clarke teed up Hector Kyprianou on the edge of the penalty area, but he slipped while shooting and the ball flew wide.

But 60 seconds later there was a reason to celebrate as Kyprianou’s floated pass picked out the unmarked Poku just as Rovers’ keeper Josh Griffith appeared to go walkabout. The finish was as tidy as you’d expect from the in-form forward as Posh scored the first goal of the game for the first time this season.

Within two minutes Conn-Clarke was shooting wide from 18 yards after fine football from Poku and Ajiboye and an excellent advantage from referee Farai Hallam. Sadly Conn-Clarke’s day was soon over as a collision with Griffiths appeared to cause shoulder damage.

Ferguson sent on Mothersille rather than Randall and it looked a wise move to keep speed and good movement on the pitch. The substitute should have scored on 26 minutes after Jones had blocked an attempted clearance straight into his path, but Griffiths made two stops with his feet. No matter as on 34 minutes an errant defensive pass sent Jones scurrying through on goal and he went round Griffiths to finish well.

The visitors started to come back into the game towards the end of the half with the Posh defence blocking a fierce strike from Ruel Sotiriou and a fine run and drive from Lino Sousa ended with a shot that whistled across the six yard box.

Sotiriou clipped a shot over the crossbar at the start of the second-half, but normal service was soon resumed and Posh were back in control and creating chances. Jones should have beaten Griffiths with a close range header from a precise Jack Sparkes free kick, but another excellent pass from the left-back did find Mothersille beyond the Rovers defence and he finished well.

That should have been that, but Ajiboye, who laboured throughout the second-half, was outjumped at the far post enabling McCormick to thump home and a left-wing cross was headed home by O’Donker about 90 seconds later. It was now panic stations for Posh who should have conceded again when Rovers worked a close-range opening for another substitute Shaq Forde, but Steer saved with his legs. The goalkeeper then stretched to tip a volley from McCormick around the post before the relief of referee Hallam’s whistle.

Still no clean sheets this season for Posh, but this was an important win ahead of three away games in eight days when whatever defensive system Ferguson chooses to deploy, it needs to offer greater resistance.

Posh: Jed Steer, Jack Sparkes, Jadel Katongo, Oscar Wallin, Emmanuel Fernandez, David Ajiboye (sub Sam Curtis, 79 mins), Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins, Chris Conn-Clarke (sub Malik Mothersille, 19 mins), Kwame Poku, Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Abraham Odoh, 57 mins).

Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, James Dornelly, Donay O’Brien-Brady, Joel Randall.

Rovers: Josh Griffiths, Lino Sousa, James Wilson, Clinton Mola, Connor Taylor, Kamil Conteh, Bryant Bilongo (sub Luke Thomas, 60 mins), Jamie Lindsay (sub Grant Ward, 71 mins) Kofi Shaw (sub Luke McCormick, 60 mins), Promise Omochere (sub Gaitlin O’Donker (60 mins), Ruel Sotiriou (sub Shaq Forde, 80 mins).

Unused subs: Jake Garrett, Scott Sinclair.

Goals: Posh – Poku (11 mins), Jones (34 mins), Mothersille (64 mins).

Rovers – McCormick (75 mins), O’Donker (76 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Collins (foul), Fernandez (foul), Ferguson (manager, dissent).

Rovers – Mola (foul).

Referee: Farai Hallam 7.

Attendance: 8,006 (361 Rovers)