REPORT: MK DONS 1 PETERBOROUGH UNITED 1: Posh should be grateful for a point after a passive performance

Peterborough United should have made the short trip home from MK Dons grateful for a League One point tonight (December 15).
Mark Beevers of Peterborough United battles with Dean Lewington of Milton Keynes Dons. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.Mark Beevers of Peterborough United battles with Dean Lewington of Milton Keynes Dons. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Mark Beevers of Peterborough United battles with Dean Lewington of Milton Keynes Dons. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

They conceded the equaliser with barely 15 minutes to go to Cameron Jerome, but Posh were far from unfortunate not to win as they delivered a tame, timid, passive performance so out of sync with what they produced at the weekend.

Jonson Clarke-Harris nodded them in front in the 25th minute with his 12th goal of the season against the run of play, but they rarely threatened again.

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With a bit more tempo and aggression in their own passing MK could easily have won. As it was despite a near monopoly of the ball, particularly in the second-half, they failed to create a chance apart from their goal.

Credit to what was a Posh back five at times with Football League debutant Ronnie Edwards quite outstanding at the heart of it.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson took the brave route with selection by replacing suspension victim Nathan Thompson with 17 year-old Edwards. The teenager slotted between Mark Beevers and Frankie Kent in the Posh back three.

Fellow teenagers Flynn Clarke and Harrison Burrows retained their places as did 21 year-old Idris Kanu for a battle against a side managed by former Posh star Russell Martin.

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Both sides fielded wing-backs which negated the space Burrows and Kanu revelled in at the weekend and the hosts played the system much the better before the break, and yet turned round a goal down.

Like he was at the weekend, Burrows was the creator with a chipped left wing cross in the 25th minute that didn’t look like reaching Clarke-Harris, but League One’s top scorer muscled his way forward to nod into the corner.

MK were furious a foul wasn’t awarded, but then referee David Rock was suspect for an entire half in which he cautioned two members of the home coaching staff for dissent and showed a yellow card to Posh ‘keeper Christy Pym for time-wasting.

MK should have led in the fourth minute when they carved their way through the Posh defence only for Lasse Sorensen to head over the bar from close range.

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Pym comfortably held shots from distance from Sorenson and Carlton Palmer before Posh started to enjoy some possession.

One superb raking pass from Jack Taylor found Kanu advancing down the right. His cut-back found Clarke, but his deflected shot was pushed behind for a corner.

After the goal Burrows and Clarke-Harris combined again, but this time the header went wide.

MK’s patient passing game helped Posh keep their defensive shape.

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Indeed the home side looked more dangerous when breaking after Posh, usually Siriki Dembele, lost the ball.

Referee Rock continued his wayward ways by cautioning Ferguson before the second-half started. He annoyed the home side by failing to award them a penalty when Carlton Morris went down.

Posh took Dembele off early in the second-half, much to the out-of-form dribbler’s irritation, and with 20 minutes to go Ferguson has used all five subs as his side struggled to get out of their own half.

It made little difference, although it was from a rare Posh attack that MK Dons claimed their deserved equaliser.

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Substitute Sammie Szmodics did well to advance down the right wing, but he had no support and one quick forward pass later and Jerome was storming through to beat Pym.

Edwards was guilty of ball-watching, but it was the first slight error of an outstanding personal display.

Posh battened down the hatches again and defended their area well. They even moved up a place to third to make it a satisfactory night, of sorts.

Posh: Christy Pym, Mark Beevers, Ronnie Edwards, Frankie Kent, Idris Kanu (sub Niall Mason, 72 mins), Harrison Burrows (sub, Dan Butler, 72 mins), Reece Brown (sub Ethan Hamilton, 72 mins), Jack Taylor, Siriki Dembele (sub Mo Eisa, 55 mins), Flynn Clarke (sub Sammie Szmodics, 60 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused subs: Dan Gyollai, Ryan Broom, Niall Mason.

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MK Dons: Andrew Fisher, George Williams (sub Regan Poole, 64 mins), Dean Lewington, Richard Keogh, David Kasumu (sub Stephen Walker, 74 mins), Carlton Morris, Scott Fraser, Warren O’Hara, Lasse Sorensen, Matthew Sorinola (sub Danaiel Harvie, 64 mins), Cameron Jerome (sub Andrew Surman, 87 mins).

Unused subs: Lee Nicholls, Ben Gladwin, Keiran Agard.

Goals: Posh - Clarke-Harris (25 mins).

MK - Jerome (74 mins).

Cautions: Posh - Pym (delaying the re-start), Ferguson (dissent), Burrows (foul),

MK - Sorinola (dissent), Dean Thornton (coach, dissent), Luke Williams (assistant manager, dissent), Kasumu (foul), Harvie (foul).

Referee: David Rock 4

Attendance: 2,000 approx.