Poor Peterborough United suffer a fifth straight defeat in all competitions and this one was deserved

But while there was mitigation for a couple of recent results, there was none tonight as Fleetwood won 1-0, at a canter in the end which was most disturbing.

Posh played ok and at a decent tempo for 45 minutes, but fell behind to a Josh Vela volley on 24 minutes, six minutes after Jack Marriot had missed a sitter for the home side.

There seemed no reason to panic at the break, but the second-half performance was a shocker against very limited opponents. Posh ran out of ideas very quickly and barely created a thing. This wasn’t the side who had won their three previous League One home games by a margin of 9-0.

Posh boss Grant McCann made three changes to his starting line-up with Hector Kyprianou, Nathan Thompson and Kwame Poku replacing Jeando Fuchs. Josh Knight and Ben Thompson, who all dropped to the bench.

Fleetwood fielded Callum Morton who spent an unhappy time on loan at Posh last season. The Cod Army were on a run of five successive League One draws.

It was an exciting end to end start as Fleetwood played a positive 4-3-3 formation up against Posh in their now familiar 3-4-1-2.

Nathan Thompson was cautioned after two minutes by a referee who sent him off the last time they met, but Posh soon assumed control with crisp passing and good movement.

And they should have opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Poku’s poked through ball found Marriott beyond the defence with all the time required to give his side the lead.

Sadly he went for pace rather than precision and cleared the crossbar comfortably. Marriott had earlier seen a much more difficult chance blocked by goalkeeper Jay Lynch.

Posh were hogging the ball, but still looked vulnerable defensively and they cracked after 24 minutes.

A lump forward by Posh was returned and reached Carlos Mendez-Gomes on the edge of the the area. His first strike was saved by Lucas Bergstrom as was his follow-up, but Josh Vela was on hand to volley home the second rebound expertly. It was the first goal Posh had conceded at home in a League One match this season.

No matter though as Posh were given so much freedom in midfield, chances would surely come. The hosts moved the ball quickly and impressively until it came to the most important bit as crosses were intercepted or overhit and shots were taken from too far out to trouble Lynch.

The half limped to a conclusion with Fleetwood players wasting time at every opportunity by sitting on the turf at every stoppage. It was important Posh didn’t panic and kept playing their football.

Sadly they did and they didn’t. Posh were so poor after the break, Fleetwood had no reason to stop the play in a cynical fashion. Posh never gained any momentum as they didn’t win any tackles or create any meaningful pressure. The visitors defended no end of floated crosses which even if they’d found their intended target would have been difficult to convert.

Posh sent Ben Thompson on for Kyprianou at the break and lost Nathan Thompson to a concussion injury soon afterwards.

None of that helped and nor did later substitutions, nor some baffling officiating, but they are deflections from a quite horrible second-half display.

Substitute Ephron Mason-Clark, who was surprisingly deployed as a wing-back, was well tackled by the impressive Shaun Rooney when presented with half a chance at the back post, Frankie Kent butchered a free header from a corner, and a flick from Clarke-Harris was tipped over the crossbar by Lynch, but they were rare moments of promise against a pretty poor opponent.

Ward did thunder a 25 yarder straight at Lynch in added time, but the sight of the assist king overhitting a cross by several yards and out for a goalkick when a queue of players including a 6ft 9in goalkeeper were waiting for a cross in the final seconds summed up the night.

Posh: Lucas Bergstrom, Harrison Burrows (sub Ephron Mason-Clark, 62 mins), Frankie Kent, Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Thompson (sub Josh Knight, 53 mins), Joe Ward, Jack Taylor, Hector Kyprianou (sub Ben Thompson, 46 mins), Kwame Poku (sub Joel Randall, 75 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris, Jack Marriott (sub Ricky-Jade Jones 62 mins)

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Josh Knight, Jeando Fuchs.

Fleetwood: Jay Lynch, Danny Andrew, Lewis Warrington, Toto Nsiala, Dan Batty (sub Harvey McAdam, 80 mins), Shaun Rooney, Josh Earl, Josh Vela, Carlos Mendes Gomes (sub Paddy Lane, 80 mins), Admiral Muskwe (sub Joe Garner, 90 + 3 mins), Callum Morton (sub Promise Omochere, 69 mins).

Subs: Jakub Stolarczyk, Joe Garner, Cian Hayes, Carl Johnson

Goals: Fleetwood – Vela (24 mins).

Cautions: Posh – N. Thompson (foul), B. Thompson (foul), Taylor (foul).

Fleetwood – Rooney (foul), Earl (foul).

Referee: Will Finnie 4.

Attendance: 6,087 (approx 70 Fleetwood).