Six of the worst for poor Peterborough United who were beaten away from home again

That’s what soft defending, multiple misplaced passes and weak finishing will do for a team. Stockport County were no great shakes at Edgeley Park, but they kept Posh at bay pretty comfortably and if you do that you will surely get chances at the other end. Two crosses that were allowed to travel to the far post did for Darren Ferguson’s side who had the scant consolation of scoring a decent goal through Joel Randall.

But they created hardly nothing else even if Randall should have given Posh a second-half lead when goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe presented the ball to him, but the enigmatic one didn’t even get his shot away. Malik Mothersille and Ryan De Havilland did on the follow-up, but by then defenders were back and made blocks.

There was a blow for Posh pre-match as it emerged key man Archie Collins was absent through illness. De Havilland partnered Hector Kyprianou in midfield, while Oscar Wallin returned to partner Emmanuel Fernandez at the back. Jadel Katongo switched to right-back to try and handle League One’s top scorer Louie Barry. Harley Mills retained his place at left-back with summer signing Rio Adebisi on the substitutes’ bench. Jack Sparkes, who had appeared in all 19 previous League One games, was not in the squad.

Posh were seeking to end a dismal run of away defeats which stretches back to September 28, but for 25 minutes they were shambolic and barely left their own half. There was the usual defensive hesitation, but the back four weren’t helped by those in front of them constantly giving the ball away.

There were a couple of scares in and around the Posh penalty area before Kyle Wootton headed just wide on nine minutes, but two minutes the home side did open the scoring. Ricky-Jade Jones conceded a free kick out wide and Barry’s low free kick was turned home by Odin Bailey as the Posh defence played musical statues.

Posh didn’t improve very quickly. They couldn’t get out. They ignored manager Darren Ferguson’s urgings to ‘play forward.’ Referee Lewis Smith ignored three rather blatant yellow card offences, one for Wallin which would have been his second of the game. That was doubtless a factor in his half-time substitution. Hector Kyprianou soon followed him after picking up an injury fouling Barry.

Somehow Posh got through the opening half an hour without further damage as County’s standards dipped and they found an equaliser with their first shot on goal. Katongo took up an excellent position to receive the ball and gave it to Hayes. His run was direct and after speeding past his marker he pulled the ball back perfectly for Randall to convert on 34 minutes.

Two minutes later Jones took the ball past home ‘keeper Ben Hinchliffe, but the angle to shoot was too tight and his cross was cleared. Two minutes after that Barry left Posh players floundering in his wake, but shot wide. Hayes then sneaked behind the defence again, but slashed his shot into the side-netting.

The second-half was scrappy with neither side passing the ball with any accuracy. Jones was manhandled out of the game by central defenders given licence to tug and hold by a dismal referee and Mothersille made no impact on the left. Neither goalkeeper made a save in the entire half.

County were poor and how Barry’s low cross was allowed to reach substitute Tanto Oloafe for the winner on 73 minutes was anyone’s guess. Central defenders falling over in the penalty area was one reason. The Posh response was disorganised and pitiful. They didn’t muster a single shot, never mind one on target.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Jadel Katongo, Oscar Wallin (sub George Nevett, 46 mins), Emmanuel Fernandez, Harley Mills (sub Rio Adebisi, 78 mins), Ryan De Havilland, Hector Kyprianou (sub Donay O’Brien-Brady, 51 mins), Joel Randall, Cian Hayes (sub Chris Conn Clarke, 78 mins), Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Abraham Odoh 73 mins), Malik Mothersille. Unused substitutes: James Dornelly, Will Blackmore,

Stockport: Ben Hinchcliffe, Mcauley Southam-Hales, Fraser Horsfall, Ethan Pye, Ibou Touray, Will Collar (sub Callum Connolly, 81 mins), Lewis Bate, Callum Camps (sub Isaac Olafoe, 69 mins), Odin Bailey (sub Ollie Norwood, 86 mins), Kyle Wootton, Louie Barry (Kyle Knoyle 86 mins).

Substitutes: Corey Addai, Jack Diamond, Ollie Norwood,

GOALS: Posh – Randall (34 mins).

Stockport – Bailey (11 mins), Olaofe (76 mins).

CAUTIONS: Posh – Wallin (foul), Kyprianou (foul), Fernandez (foul), Mothersille (foul).

Stockport – Bate (foul), Bailey (foul), Wootton (delaying the restart).

REFEREE: Lewis Smith 5

ATTENDANCE: 9,475 (765 Posh).