Peterborough United were lucky to return from East London with a point
On the surface it’s not a bad draw at the home of an Orient team who have hit some form and were seeking a hat-trick of League One wins, but the performance was a huge concern. Any watching Birmingham City spies will be licking their lips at taking on a side struggling defensively, and who couldn’t string three passes together when they did get the ball off aggressive opponents, on Saturday.
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Hide AdBut for a three minute spell at the end of the first-half when Posh woke up to score twice thanks to some electric pace on the break, this would have been a dire defeat. The 2-2 final scoreline should therefore have been greeted with great relief rather than much satisfaction. This work in progress, particularly defensively, looks like being a long job.
There was a pleasant surprise for Posh fans when the team news arrived as quick-healing Ricky-Jade Jones started despite hobbling off in the weekend win. He would forge a potentially explosive partnership with Malik Mothersille as manager Darren Ferguson stuck with the formation deployed to good effect last time out, for 70 minutes at least.
Transfer-listed David Ajiboye started as a right wing-back again with Sam Curtis staying on the substitutes’ bench alongside Joel Randall. Cian Hayes was drafted back into the matchday squad in place of injury victim Chris Conn-Clarke. Unsurprisingly Orient kept faith with the line-up that started an impressive 4-1 win at Stockport County on Saturday.
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Hide AdAnd they looked a team full of confidence once Jones had seen a snapshot saved following a neat Mothersille flick. The hosts dominated, helped by a muscular press and some poor Posh passing, so much so Ferguson changed formation to a flat back four after 35 minutes or so.
Orient’s chances were regular. Giant centre-back Dan Happe muffed a free header from a corner, sloppiness from Fernandez caused Jed Steer to kick against Dan Agyei, but the rebound favoured Posh.
The hosts opened the scoring through right-back Tom James who was allowed to stroll across the pitch 20 yards from goal before delivering a great left-footed finish. Ethan Galbraith was soon racing clear, but lost control the ball and Charlie Kelman fired wide after a superb James pass.
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Hide AdOrient were so comfortable centre-back Omar Beckles tried his luck from close to half-way, but that change of shape helped Posh, especially Mothersille who was soon exposing a lack of defensive quality in James. On 42 minutes Jack Sparkes freed Mothersille, who skipped past James, and fed the perfect pass to Poku who cracked home a lovely first-time finish.
And three minutes Mothersille picked up a fine pass from former Orient Man Hector Kyprianou and played a perfect pass to Jones. Jones tried to get past home ‘keeper Zach Hemming, but was tripped for an obvious penalty. Mothersille did the business from the spot after a cheeky stuttering run-up to give Posh an unlikely half-time lead.
Posh brought on Curtis for Oscar Wallin at the break. Within 30 seconds of the re-start Ollie O’Neill volleyed wide and that set the pattern for the half.
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Hide AdAny thought Posh would be galvanised by hitting the front soon disappeared when Kelman equalised on 54 minutes after more dithery defending.
There only looked one winner after that, but Posh survived despite some shaky goalkeeping and some attempted suicidal backpasses. Jed Steer missed a pair of crosses in the final stages and the second one really should have to a winning goal for Dan Happe, but he also managed to miss the ball.
The number one was probably fed up by then having to clear so many underhit backpasses, two of which he smacked straight into onrushing forwards without punishment. Even another formation change to the one that had led to two away wins this season didn’t bring about any improvement.
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Hide AdPosh: Jed Steer, Jack Sparkes, Oscar Wallin (sub Sam Curtis, 46 mins), Emmanuel Fernandez, Jadel Katongo, David Ajiboye (sub Joel Randall, 55 mins), Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins (sub Donay O’Brien-Brady, 68 mins), Kwame Poku, Malik Mothersille, Ricky-Jade Jones.
Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, James Dornelly, Abraham Odoh, Cian Hayes
Orient: Zach Hemming, Tom James, Dan Happe, Jordan Brown (sub Dominic Ball, 61 mins), Jack Currie, Omar Beckles, Ollie O’Neill (sub Brandon Cooper, 80 mins), Ethan Galbraith, Charlie Kelman, Sean Clare (sub Lewis Warrington, 90 mins), Dan Agyei (Jordan Graham, 80 mins)
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Hide AdSubs: Noah Phillips, Dominic Ball, Lewis Warrington, James Donley, Sonny Perkins.
GOALS: Posh – Poku (42 mins), Mothersille (45, pen).
Orient – James (20 mins), Kelman (54 mins).
CAUTIONS: Posh – Curtis (foul).
Orient – Beckles (foul), Cooper (foul).
REFEREE: Daniel Middleton 5.
ATTENDANCE: 6,416 (404 Posh),
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