REPORT: Ipswich Town 0 Peterborough United 1: Posh emerge victorious from a scrappy battle at Portman Road

Posh are now building up some real momentum in League One with a third victory in a week, moving Darren Ferguson’s men up to third. They now sit just three points behind leaders Hull with a game in hand.

They were made to work hard for victory at out-of-form Ipswich after the hosts dominated much of the early exchanges without creating a clear-cut chance.

Posh then came into the match and looked a threat on the break, with Dembele forcing a save from Tomas Holy in the Ipswich goal, after being put through by an audacious flick from Sammie Szmodics.

The warning signs were there for Ipswich and just minutes later Dembele was put through again before being upended by Aristote Nsiala. The 34th-minute spot-kick was awarded by an assistant referee.

Jonson Clarke-Harris stepped up but blazed his penalty wildly over the bar.

After the break, the game followed the same pattern of few chances ,but with Posh looking more comfortable in possession and Reece Brown controlling play at the heart of the midfield in his recall to the side, Darren Ferguson’s only change.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 68th minute, when Dan Butler put the first high quality ball of the match into the Ipswich penalty area. He was looking for Clarke-Harris, but the bounced awkwardly and forced McGuiness into dealing with it. Unfortunately for the Arsenal loanee, he could only poke the ball past Holy who had no chance.

Ipswich then immediately responded with a triple substitution, bringing on attackers Jon Nolan, Luke Thomas and Freddie Sears.

Nolan had the first shot on target of the entire game in the final 15 minutes, but Pym saved well. Ipswich then were the team in the ascendancy, forcing Posh to sit deep.

Posh finally made their first change in the 82nd minute with Ipswich coming on strong. Hamilton replaced Brown, before two minute later Jones replaced Szmodics and Mason later replaced Dembele.

Posh were able to weather the storm, thanks in the main to Hamilton and Mason frequently breaking up play. Hamilton in fact manufactured Posh’s best chance from open play, after winning the ball he drove up field, played the ball to Butler who crossed back to Hamilton in the middle and he cushioned a volley just wide. He could easily have scored and taken the tension out of the final seven minutes.

Posh held on though, despite one hair-raising moment in stoppage time when Nsiala had the ball in the back of the net from a corner but the whistle had already gone because the ball had already gone out of play before the cross.

Posh: Christy Pym, Frankie Kent, Mark Beevers, Idris Kanu, Dan Butler, Jack Taylor, Reece Brown (sub Ethan Hamilton, 82 mins), Sammie Szmodics (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 84 mins), Siriki Dembele (sub Niall Mason, 88 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris. Unused substitutes: Dan Gyollai, Harrison Burrows, Mo Eisa, Ryan Broom.

Ipswich: Tomas Holy, Luke Chambers, Stephen Ward, Toto Nsiala, Mark McGuinness, Andre Dozzell, Flynn Downes, Gwion Edwards, Teddy Bishop (sub Jon Nolan, 74 mins), Alan Judge (sub Freddie Sears, 74 mins), Aaron Drinan (sub Luke Thomas, 74 mins).

Unised substitutes: David Cornell, Luke Wolfenden, Emyr Hughes.

Goals: Posh - McGuinness (og, 69 mins).

Cautions: Posh - Taylor (foul), Burrows (delaying the re-start).

Ipswich - Ward (foul).

Referee: Anthony Coggins 6