Peterborough United's happy habit on a perfect night, some subtly impressive management, set-piece simplicity, why other teams are doomed
Even in seasons full of strife Peterborough United have had a happy habit of pulling big wins out of nowhere.
It happened last season when Cambridge United were stuffed 6-1 at London Road and now Posh have recorded their third five-goal margin of victory of the current campaign, all of them under the current manager.
The 5-0 success over AFC Wimbledon came two weeks after a home defeat at the hands of bottom club Blackpool and the 6-1 romp against Wigan followed two consecutive losses.
Last night’s 5-0 win over Rotherham was a first success in six League One games and served to calm down those fans and media men who have been fretting about the possibility of a relegation battle.
It helped of course that ‘The Millers’ were pitiful and damaged by a sick and injured list that dwarfs the one Posh have been quickly accumulating, but Luke Williams’ men were still impressively ruthless.
The gap to the relegation zone didn’t actually increase last night, but with Blackpool at Cardiff it probably won’t get any bigger on Saturday. Surely one more win would convince the most panicky Posh fans that danger for this season has been averted.
TALKING POINTS FROM POSH 5 ROTHERHAM 0….
1) Five goals, a first clean sheet in nine matches, recent Academy graduates finishing the game looking at home and a feelgood story as a young striker playing five levels below League One as recently as February scored twice. That’s a perfect night for Posh. Oh and no-one got injured.
2) A shame the lowest League One gate of the season at the Weston Homes Stadium turned up to see it all. The figure of 6,112 was predictable given the form of the teams in action. The only other sub 7,000 crowd this season watched Posh beat Stockport 3-0 on a Thursday night in front of the live Sky TV cameras.
3) Even ignoring the excellence of his two penalties David Kamara has probably edged ahead in the race to become Harry Leonard’s Posh understudy. Kamara appears more athletic and mobile than Pemi Aderoju who didn’t make the most of his physical attributes last night. Both have been given a great opportunity that couldn’t possibly have been foreseen until the club’s January transfer window gamble and both are giving it a real go so good for them. Posh is a place of opportunity.
4) Posh boss Luke Williams rarely offers even the mildest of criticism, but his comments about the ‘showboating’ of wingers Kyrell Lisbie and Declan Frith at Orient on Saturday were taken on board. Lisbie responded with a goal and an assist to improve the stats of a fabulous first season, while Frith came on, kept things simple and was rewarded with a neat assist for Archie Collins’ goal. Frith has talent, but he would hopefully have seen how Cian Hayes troubles defenders with pace and direct running into opposition danger areas. There is usually no need for tricks and backheels. Hayes and Lisbie won penalty kicks for their side last night by haring into the Rotherham penalty area.
5) Patryk Sykut gets more attention than his fellow teenage prospect Lucca Mendonca. Sykut plays in a more glamorous role and his willingness to take the ball in difficult areas and then be positive has caught the eye. Williams obviously trusts him and he sent it him on last night when the game was still in the balance and he immediately contributed to the third Posh goal. Mendonca came on as a centre-back later, but he looks remarkably comfortable and relaxed on the ball. I hope we see a lot more of them both before the season is over.
6) Interestingly Williams revealed after the game that goalkeeper coach Richard Taylor has been working on Posh attacking set-pieces. It’s amazing what simplicity achieves as an Archie Collins cross has been headed in by Jimmy-Jay Morgan in each of the last two matches. The one complicated corner routine ended with Rotherham breaking three-on-one into the Posh half!
7) Port Vale, Cobblers and Rotherham look doomed. Last night’s opponents serve as a warning about taking your eye off the ball. The Millers were a Championship club as recently as 2024 and are now destined for League Two. Rotherham and Cobblers have also been guilty of sticking with a failing manager for too long. Posh arguably didn’t change their manager soon enough, but at least they acted while there was still plenty of time to turn things around. Posh now look set to extend their absence from the basement division into a 20th year.