REPORT: Wigan Athletic 0, Peterborough United 1: Clarke-Harris volley seals a fourth League One win on the spin

It’s a first ever win for Posh at Wigan and a third clean sheet in a row, although Darren Ferguson’s men made harder work of these points than necessary.

There was no doubt Posh deserved their win though. They lacked tempo before the break despite taking the lead, but they were the dominant side in the second-half until a nervy finale when Wigan’s best player Kai Naismith struck the outside of a post.

As expected Posh named an unchanged side, but they never showed the fluency that lit up the first-half of their last performance.

Wigan controlled the pace of the game which was slower than Posh would have liked. Naismith was the focal point of the home side’s attacks and he saw a third minute shot turned behind for a corner by Posh goalkeeper Christy Pym.

Dan Butler slowed Naismith down with an early challenge that resulted in a yellow card. Three more offences later and Butler was hauled off in the 34th minute by manager Ferguson to protect against a red card, but not before the left-back had created a 27th minute goal.

Siriki Dembele started the attack by nicking the ball off a home midfielder. The move looked to have broken down, but the ball was transferred to the left wing from where Butler delivered a pinpoint cross to Jonson Clarke-Harris.

The big centre-forward showed immaculate chest control before volleying past Wigan ‘keeper Jamie Jones from close range.

Dembele had created an earlier opportunity for Joe Ward, but he sidefooted wide from 12 yards.

After the goal Posh created little before the break and were forced to defend no end of set-pieces and corners, none of which were delivered with any accuracy until Leicester loanee defender Darnell Johnson headed over the bar in first-half stoppage time.

Mark Beevers and Frankie Kent stood firm with the former particularly impressive.

Reece Brown fired wide from 25 yards after Szmodics threatened the penalty area in the final action of the half.

Posh took control of the second-half when Pym’s only contribution was to turn Lee Evans’ 25 yarder wide 20 minutes from time. That half chance arrived soon after Posh had enjoyed a purple patch.

With Szmodics and Ward heavily involved Posh won a succession of corners. From one Ward delivery Beevers won a back-post header which enabled Dembele to tee up Brown, but his 12-yard bullet was well saved by Jones. Szmodics raced onto the rebound, but his drive was deflected over the bar by a defender.

Dembele then danced into the penalty area only to see his shot deflected wide and Ward was soon racing through, but inexplicably chose to pass rather than shoot and the chance was gone.

Any fears that missed chances would come back to haunt Posh were thwarted by a strong defensive display. Mason’s only error in a fine display came in injury time when he misjudged the bounce of the ball enabling Naismith to charge clear.

He checked back onto his left foot, but curled his shot onto the outside of the post.

In the final minute Clarke-Harris pounced on a defensive error and thundered a shot so hard into the chest of Jones the ball rebounded far enough for Wigan to break into the penalty area.

Luckily Kent and Nathan Thompson stood firm again and Posh secured another impressive result.

Posh: Christy Pym, Nathan Thompson, Dan Butler (sub Niall Mason, 36 mins), Frankie Kent, Mark Beevers, Jack Taylor, Reece Brown, Joe Ward, Sammie Szmodics, Siriki Dembele (sub Ryan Broom, 81 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused substitutes: Dan Gyollai, Ethan Hamilton, Louis Reed, Mo Eisa, Flynn Clarke.

Wigan: Jamie Jones, Curtis Tilt, Darnell Johnson, Lee Evans, Tom James, Kai Naismith, Matty Palmer (sub Thelo Aasgaard, 88 mins), Gavin Massey, Viv Solomon-Otabor, Joe Garner (sub Ollie Crankshaw, 81 mins), Will Keane (sub Chris Merrie, 63 mins).

Unused substitutes: Owen Evans, Adam Long, Alex Perry, Luke Robinson.

Goal: Posh - Clarke-Harris (27 mins).

Cautions: Posh - Butler (foul).

Wigan - Massey (foul).

Referee: Ross Joyce 7.