Ten talking points from Peterborough United v Charlton including ‘a fine striker in his own right, a player too quick for the Charlton cloggers, the need for a strong referee, and the most inappropriate club for Marcus Maddison’s skillset’

Before last night’s game with Charlton Athletic at the Weston Homes Stadium he stressed the importance of his front three to the club’s bid for automatic promotion (a statement confirmed by the last two results and performances) and afterwards he was right to describe the 2-1 success as the most important of the League One season so far.

More important matches will follow - we don’t reach the halfway stage until after next Tuesday’s home match with Bristol Rovers - but last night’s performance certainly answered a few questions.

Are Posh tough enough physically? What about mentally? Can they beat the best sides at home? Is there enough strength in depth?

It would appear ‘yes’ is the answer to all four questions, for now at least. Lord only knows what playing regularly on this difficult London Road surface will do the players in the long run, but the powerful way the team finished a brutal contest last night suggests tiredness won’t become a factor for a while.

LAST NIGHT’S TALKING POINTS...

1) Sammie Szmodics was brilliant when he turned up at Posh for the first time last January until the season ended abruptly in March. He could well deliver a repeat performance this year judging by his last two displays. The fretful finisher has gone and been replaced by an ice-cold assassin. He made made two high pressure scoring chances look easy last night. The only surprise was he didn’t complete his hat-trick from a similar opportunity a few minutes from the end. Two a game will do though. No need to be greedy.

2) Jonson Clarke-Harris’s 13 League One goals have ensured he’s rightly seen as a key Posh player, but his two assists against Charlton suggests there’s more to his game than simply scoring. Certainly the run and then the accuracy and timing of his pass for Szmodics’ second goal hinted at a top all-round player. Comparisons with Ivan Toney are unfair and should stop. Clarke-Harris is a fine striker in his own right.

3) I’ve been critical of the lack of link-up play between Clarke-Harris. Szmodics and Siriki Dembele for most of this season, but they’ve been electric together in the last two matches. They must be as good, if not better, than every attacking trio in the third tier. All three staying healthy is vital if Posh are to fulfil their dream of promotion to the Championship.

4) Before last night Charlton had won 10 and drawn one of the 11 matches in which they had scored first and yet Posh were running all over them at the end. Posh only made two substitutions compared to Charlton’s five and yet they dominated their visitors in the final 30 minutes. Physically and mentally Posh currently look impressive.

5) One small question mark about the Posh home record was an absence of any game at London Road against a team who were in the top nine before yesterday’s contest. Charlton are sixth so we can put that one to bed for now.

6) I felt Harrison Burrows was the wrong man to send on against physical opponents on a heavy pitch, but boy was I wrong. Burrows is a slightly-built teenager, but he glided over the surface and was far too quick in thought and deed for the Charlton cloggers. His performance was a real eye-opener and credit to Ferguson for making a very positive and successful change in formation, plus a switch in personnel early enough for it to make a difference.

7) Posh didn’t really function as an attacking force until the change in formation so credit to the defence for staying strong at set-pieces against a well-built side to keep their side in contention. Posh have defended so well in recent games, despite at times surrendering lots of possession and territory, goalkeeper Christy Pym has barely had to make a save.

8) On last night’s showing I don’t think non-tackling former Posh star Marcus Maddison could have joined a club less suited to his style of play.

9) If ever a game needed a strong referee it was last night’s. Sadly Sam Purkiss was not that man. His attempts to manage the game rather than issue what should have been mandatory cautions in the early stages backfired horribly and Charlron took full advantage by wilfully breaking up play without fear of sanction. I also swear Purkiss didn’t caution one Charlton player early in the second half of the game as he couldn’t identify the offender and I’m sure he showed a yellow card to to Liam Miller after a foul by Darren Pratley moments later. Pratley and Ethan Hamilton both got away with far too many fouls. It was a grim and pitifully weak display which also included missing a swinging arm into the face of Mark Beevers.

10) Niall Mason was unfortunate to lose his starting place last night after such a good display at the weekend, especially as Nathan Thompson’s ability to bring the ball out of defence is negated somewhat by the terrible playing surface. But Thompson is smart and versatile. He’s a shoo-in when fit, but I suspect he is one player, given his injury issues, Ferguson will seek to protect against weaker opposition so Mason could be back sooon enough.