Was it really a good point for Peterborough United? Steve Evans is a mad managerial genius and why are we booing Posh promotion winners?

That’s how I felt on leaving the Lamex Stadium on Tuesday night. Of course the fight and character shown against Steve Evans’ awkward squad should be admired, but Posh were clearly so superior in terms of pure football and attacking threat they should have won at a canter. There was some great passing at a great tempo and the overall performance even earned praise from the home fans and the home manager.

But some heroic defending and goalkeeping from Stevenage plus some sloppy work at the back by Posh meant it finished 2-2, a result seen as a positive point by many on the pitch and among the away fans. They were doubtless relieved and encouraged by a team who refused to accept defeat after a first-half when very little went right for them.

The bare match facts suggest Posh should have been frustrated by the result, although they can still be satisfied to emerge relatively unscathed from another tough away trip.

TALKING POINTS FROM STEVENAGE 2, POSH 2…

1) Posh enjoyed 75% possession last according to the BBC. That follows on from 70% against Cambridge United and 71% against Burton Albion in successive League One games. It’s a staggering statistic at the home of the team in fourth place. Add to that 22 shots compared to 11, an advantage of 491 to 98 (!) in accurate passes and 41 touches in the opposition penalty area and it’s a wonder Posh only picked up a point. Two thumping finishes for Stevenage by unmarked players after two poor attempts to deal with ordinary crosses proved very costly.

2) It’s clear former Posh boss Evans is a mad managerial genius. To get this set of players to fourth in League One is a remarkable achievement and testament to his motivational and organisational skills. It’s no exaggeration to say none of his outfield players would get selected ahead of any Posh player in a composite XI and yet they were close to winning the game through sheer endeavour, willpower and commitment. Football snobs will decry Evans’ brand of football, but he’s no mug tactically. Deploying Dan Butler to stop Peter Kioso getting forward with the same bravado he did at the weekend was simple yet effective and led indirectly to the opening goal of the game.

3) I found the abuse aimed by away fans at former Posh player Butler last night rather disappointing. The 29 year-old defender was a whole-hearted and committed player in his 135 Posh appearances. He played 45 times in the promotion season of 2020-21 and a horror injury stopped him in his tracks in the Championship. As far as I know he’s never uttered a bad word about the club, even after Posh boss Darren Ferguson deemed him surplus to requirements in the summer. He had the last laugh though with a man-of-the-match award for his job on Kioso and some dangerous crosses into the Posh penalty area. It was a mixed night otherwise for the ex-Posh men in the home camp as Ben Thompson scored his second goal in two games – he managed one last term for Posh – and Carl Piergianni hardly lost a header all night, but Nathan Thompson was taken off with concussion after stopping a Kwame Poku shot with his face. At least he was applauded off the pitch by Posh fans who recognised his strong contribution to their club’s cause.

4) This paper highlighted the need for pace in a central striking role for Posh back in September when Jonson Clarke-Harris was still starting matches, although we weren’t convinced Ricky-Jade Jones was necessarily the answer. We stand corrected though. Jones was electric in the second-half at Stevenage and deserved his match-saving contribution of an assist followed by a goal. Jones still needs to add more goals to his game, but he as valuable to the team as wing wizards Ephron Mason-Clark and Kwame Poku. He’s on his longest run of matches undisturbed by injury which helps.

5) Posh used no substitutes last night. No-one in the current starting line-up is being pushed by a back-up boy. It wouldn’t be the greatest surprise if left-back Zak Sturge, who wasn’t in the squad last night, returned to Chelsea in January. He’d need replacing though. I’d still play the first XI in the FA Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers on Saturday though. They can be rested from next Tuesday’s EFL Trophy clash with Arsenal under 21s which is followed by a big home game against third-placed Oxford United.

6) Ronnie Edwards remains irreplaceable. He’s now added forward dashes and visits to the opposition penalty area to his long list of attributes. He assisted on the Posh equaliser last night by keeping the ball alive in the penalty area. Swansea City, who reportedly tried to sign Edwards in the summer, were represented at last night’s match. I’d be disappointed it he didn’t find a bigger and better club though.