Peterborough United will take satisfaction from a comfortable win even though other results didn't go their way

That’s fourth spot at worst sealed and an away game in the first leg of the play-off semi-final, but a win for Derby County at Cambridge United has rendered a top two finish even more unlikely than it appeared before kick-off.

From the Posh point of view this was mission accomplished though. A couple of key figures were given a breather and the goals were scored by two players in need of a boost, Joel Randall and Ricky-Jade Jones. A future talent was handed a Football League debut, a clean sheet was landed and injuries were avoided, unless substitute Jadel Katongo’s early departure was more than a precaution.

Randall gave Posh the lead towards the end of a first-half his team bossed with some lovely possession football. Jones struck deep into injury time with a close-range flick to give skipper Harrison Burrows yet another assist, at the end of a second-half that didn’t feature quite so many good points.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson admitted to the need for a balancing act in terms of selection. The nightmare scenario for him was losing after fielding a weakened XI, while Derby slipped up at Cambridge United.

Ferguson did hand 19 year-old right-back James Dornelly his Football League debut in place of Katongo, while Jonson Clarke-Harris returned to lead the attack at his old club Bristol Rovers after his midweek heroics from the substitutes’ bench. Ephron Mason-Clark dropped to the bench with fellow winger Kwame Poku absent altogether. There was also the welcome sight of striker Jacob Wakeling among the substitutes. It was the end of November when he last set foot on a first-team pitch.

Rovers were dealt a late blow when top scorer Chris Martin was handed a four-game ban on Friday for an off-the-ball incident during a Tuesday win over relegation-haunted Cambridge that was missed by all the officials. Naturally Martin went on to score the only goal of the game.

Former Posh youngster Jevani Brown was expected to lead the line for the hosts in his place.

Posh started with Malik Mothersille and David Ajiboye on the flanks and both were prominent in a dominant first-half display.

Mothersille delivered the first Posh shot on three minutes and Fergie’s men should have scored on nine minutes when Hector Kyprianou failed to bundle a Harrison Burrows corner past home ‘keeper Jed Ward from close range.

Posh were intent on delivering crosses early with Clarke-Harris lurking, although he didn’t offer the main threat. Randall missed the ball completely after a perfect cross and cut-back from Mothersille. A minute later Ajiboye fizzed a cross over from the other wing which Mothersille just failed to reach.

Dornelly popped up on the edge of the penalty area to hit a shot at goal that was blocked after good work from Kyprianou before Posh took a deserved lead four minutes before the break.

Kyprianou’s pass freed Mothersille again and his cross took a helpful deflection off the head of a defender for Randall to volley home from close range.

Two minutes later Mothersille picked out Clarke-Harris whose first-time shot was blocked.

Ronnie Edwards was immaculate on the ball in the first-half, but he was close to conceding a penalty in the first minute of the second period when Posh spent too long dithering in their own area.

And that was the signal for a ragged second-half display which only perked up when Mason-Clark and Jones arrived to add speed and freshness to the side.

Rovers threatened rarely though and their only real opportunity arrived on 55 minutes when Scott Sinclair raced clear, but Jed Steer saved well. Steer also beat away an Anthony Evans snapshot 10 minutes from time before Posh started to flex their attacking muscles again.

Jones wanted a penalty after colliding with Ward, but he was up again to steer home a Burrows’ cross at the near post in the 95th minute.

Posh: Jed Steer, Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Josh Knight, James Dornelly (sub Jadel Katongo, 63 mins, sub Romoney Crichlow, 85 mins), Hector Kyprianou, David Ajiobye (sub Ephron Mason-Clark, 70 mins), Joel Randall, Malik Mothersille, Jonson Clarke-Harris (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 70 mins).

Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, Ryan De Havilland, Jacob Wakeling

Rovers: Jed Ward, Elkan Baggott, Luca Hoole (sub Jack Hunt, 73 mins), Connor Taylor (sub James Connolly, 6 mins), Brandon Aguilera (sub Luke McCormick, 73 mins), Harvey Vale, Anthony Evans, Jordan Rossiter (sub Kamil Conteh, 53 mins), Scott Sinclair, Luke Thomas (sub Harry Vaughan, 73 mins), Jevani Brown

Unused subs: Matthew Hall, Lewis Gordon.

Goals: Posh – Randall (41 mins), Jones (90 + 5 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Knight (delaying the re-start),

Rovers – Thomas (foul), Hoole (dissent)

Referee: Tom Reeves 7

Attendance: 8,714 (602 Posh).