Why Peterborough United were lucky they were 'only' playing Northampton Town in this mess of a League One game

You'd have been forgiven for drawing the curtains if this had been played out on your front lawn.

Posh were guilty of so much sloppy, ill-advised and downright daft passing they were lucky to be playing a Cobblers team who very little attacking imagination or precision, although what credit there was to be taken belonged to the hosts.

Posh have better players and higher standards, but that was far from obvious at Sixfields. Cobblers started the match in dreadful form under the care of a manager reportedly under pressure and yet they were applauded off by a tolerant home crowd even though a 1-1 draw did little to improve their lowly position.

Cobblers had the better scoring chances, more corners, more shots at goal, more shots on target and more successful passes in the final third, but there’s a reason why they have the worst XG (expected goals) in the division and the second worst goals tally.

As I say Posh were lucky that on the day they attempted suicidal passes galore they were playing Cobblers. They won’t be this fortunate next time.

OTHER TALKING POINTS FROM COBBLERS 1 POSH 1...

1) Remarkably Posh moved a point nearer to the play-offs with this result, but also a point closer to the relegation zone. The League One table will sort itself out in the next few weeks as teams catch up with Posh in the number of games played. The gap between Posh and the drop zone will be cut to nine points from 10 if Rotherham beat Mansfield Town on Tuesday (March 3). The following Tuesday/Wednesday there are eight League One games and after those are played I suspect ensuring safety will be the Posh priority.

2) Posh have conceded five goals from right wing crosses in the last four matches, two against Exeter, one against Barnsley and Bradford and another one against Cobblers. Is this a result of having a right footed left back? It probably doesn’t help. Is it because Carl Johnston gets no help from left winger Kyrell Lisbie? It has been a problem, but not yesterday as Lisbie was seen making very strong defensive plays in his own area on occasion at Sixfields. The goal yesterday was the result of some poor marking after Posh had cleared a set-piece to the edge of their penalty area. Tyrese Fornah was stood all his own to the right of the Posh area and used the time to pick out Tom Eaves to score. That was an organisation problem for me. Johnston has done a sterling job out of position, but it was encouraging to see specialist left-back Harley Mills running on the pitch before the game. He can’t be far away from a return.

3) Lisbie is having a dream of a first season at Football League level. He was a threat level above any other forward on the Sixfields pitch yesterday. He remains raw and his final ball can be a disappointment – the one he hit knee high at Jimmy-Jay Morgan in the first half certainly disappointed the Chelsea loanee – but he was once more the sole Posh danger and no surprise he was the man to set up Morgan’s equaliser. Morgan now has 10 goals this season and Posh have hit the half century mark. It would be a major surprise if Posh are not bombarded with offers for 23 year-old Lisbie in the summer.

4) True derby passion from some Posh players was absent. Peter Kioso, a former Cobblers’ loanee, had plenty as did Lisbie and Johnston, while the industry and endeavour of Brandon Khela was obvious, but others were so casual it became quite scary. Half-hearted, ill-advised passes were commonplace and usually intercepted. Fifty-fifty chances of possession were often conceded, while defensive clearances were sliced and skied, admittedly on a pitch with the texture of a cobbled street. Boss Luke Williams praised ‘weary’ players after the game, but I’m not sure that argument would survive much scrutiny. The only outfield player to have played more than 27 of the 35 League One games is midfielder Archie Collins and Posh have had no cup runs of note.

5) Posh are inching their way towards safety. After two draws in their first 33 League One matches, they’ve drawn two in a row. The more I watch this flawed team the more I realise Tom Lees might just be their most influential player. The more I watch a team treading water in away games the more I suspect recruiting no fresh legs in January will turn out to a grave error.