Peterborough United's blistering start secured a much-needed win at Morecambe

A blistering start ended the two-game losing streak. Goals from Jack Taylor, Joe Ward and Kwame Poku inside the first half an hour enabled Posh to cruise home, aside from defensive set-piece concerns.

One just hopes they haven’t used up all their luck for the rest of the season. Posh were worthy winners, and put together some fine moves, but scored with the help of two deflections and a goalkeeping howler.

After back-to-back defeats, Posh made two changes to their starting line-up, both in defence as Nathan Thompson and Frankie Kent were replaced by Harrison Burrows and Josh Knight respectively. Thompson’s absence from the matchday squad meant a reshuffle with Ward reverting to right-back, Poku to a wide right position and Burrows slotting in behind the front three.

It was Knight’s first League One start since October.

Morecambe were defending a terrific home record for a team who have spent most of the League One season stuck in the bottom four. They were chasing a 10th game without defeat at the Mizuma Stadium. Derby and Barnsley were among the teams to leave this ground without three points.

But Posh grabbed control very quickly and eventually took a 3-0 lead into the interval with help from their opponents.

Taylor’s 12th minute 25 yarder was diverted into the top corner by the head of Ferrand Rawson, Ward’s 21st minute free kick slipped through the grasp of home goalkeeper Connor Ripley and Kwame Poku’s left foot shot nestled into the corner off the knee of LIam Gibson. Ripley also blundered in the early stages of the reverse fixture at London Road when Ward was again the beneficiary. It was the winger’s first away goal for 23 months.

Posh deserved to lead comfortably. They were fluent and mobile in attacking areas, although Morecambe finished the half strongly enough to make sure Posh didn’t start counting their chickens ahead of the second half.

A couple of free kicks caused scrambles and Rawson headed a deep corner against the foot of a post in the final minute as Posh boss Darren Ferguson urged his players to calm down.

Posh always looked a threat on the counter attack though and Taylor sent Clarke-Harris scurrying through, but a firm shot was straight at Ripley. He held on to that one.

The boss clearly wasn’t overly-happy as Hector Kyprianou, who picked up a silly first-half caution, was replaced by Jeandon Fuchs, for his first appearance in this Ferguson spell.

Posh quickly put together a fine move involving Ephron Mason-Clark, Burrows and Ward which ended with Poku firing over from a tight angle.

Posh concentrated on killing the game with slow possession early on. It nearly rebounded when Fuchs let a ball slip under his foot, but Cole Stockton fired well wide, one of several shots that sailed out of this modest stadium.

The hosts should have pulled a goal back from a corner just before the hour mark. Liam Shaw escaped his marker but sent a free header wide of a post.

Posh were now playing well within themselves, but broke out thrillingly in the 64th minute as Nathanael Ogbeta led a charge from left-back. Substitute Ben Thompson joined in before Ogbeta played a neat pass to the onrushing Taylor whose shot was well smothered by Ripley.

Morecambe came back and threatened again from a corner, but Rawson powered his header over from close range.

In truth Posh cruised home from then on with Ogbeta missing a great chance to score a fourth goal after Thompson sent him through. Ogbeta had just been pushed forward into midfield and it proved a clever switch as the on-loan speedster shot away again to start a move that Mason-Clark stopped with a poor pass.

And four minutes from time Ogbeta was denied a goal by a brilliant save after being teed up by Clarke-Harris.

Posh didn’t close the gap on the play-off places, and also lost ground goal-difference wise, but three points was all that mattered today, especially as matches against a fearsome top two are coming up.

Posh: Will Norris, Nathanael Ogbeta, Josh Knight, Ronnie Edwards, Joe Ward, Hector Kyprianou (sub Jeando Fuchs, 46 mins), Jack Taylor, Ephron Mason-Clark, Harrison Burrows (sub Dan Butler, 77 mins), Kwame Poku (sub Ben Thompson, 63 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Frankie Kent, Kabongo Tshimanga, Joel Randall.

Morecambe: Connor Ripley, Liam Gibson, Farrent Rawson, Dan Crowley, Jensen Weir (sub Jake Taylor, 72 mins), Jacob Bedeau, Liam Shaw (sub Josh Austerfield, 72 mins)., Ryan Cooney, Adam Mayor, Arthur Gnahoua (sub Michael Mellon, 72 mins), Cole Stockton

Unused subs: Adam Smith, Donald Love, Ryan Delaney, Dynel Simeu.

Goals: Posh – Taylor (13 mins), Ward (21 mins), Poku (29 mins),

Cautions: Posh – Kyprianou (foul).

Morecambe – Bedeau (foul).

Referee: Darren Handley.

Attendance: 4,172 (458 Posh).