It’s Jack in the box as double hit fires Posh
PETERBOROUGH pulled off a stunning FA Cup upset as three goals in the final 15 minutes earned them a 3-1 win at Villa Park.
The home side had looked set to cruise to victory when Keinan Davis gave them the lead after only eight minutes.
But League One Posh produced a storming fightback against the Championship side and Jack Marriott drew them level in the 75th minute.
The towering Ryan Tafazolli then gave them the lead with a header seven minutes from time before Marriott struck his fifth FA Cup goal of the season in stoppage time.
Peterborough boss Grant McCann said: “I think Marriott is way above League One, he could easily play in the Championship, maybe higher.
“We were disappointed to be 1-0 down at half-time but we stuck to the plan and deserved to get back in it.”
Before their late show, Peterborough had been denied by a great display from keeper Jed Steer.
Villa made their early pressure pay through Davis, who met a cross from Richie De Laet and beat Jonathan Bond with a shot on the turn.
Peterborough went close in the 13th minute when Steer tipped away a 20-yard drive from Marcus Maddison.
And Steer was in action again 12 minutes later when he saved Leonardo Da Silva Lopes’ effort from the edge of the area and stopped a fierce shot from Marriott.
The Villa stopper was finally beaten 15 minutes from time when Danny Lloyd whipped the ball back across goal and Marriott headed in.
And in a pulsating finale Birkir Bjarnason lashed a 78th-minute volley off the bar for Villa before Tafazolli headed in Maddison’s cross to put Posh in front.
With Villa chasing an equaliser, Peterborough surged upfield in added time and Maddison’s cross was converted by Marriott.
Villa boss Steve Bruce said: “The best team won by a country mile. We got off to a good start but Peterborough had 20 efforts on our goal which is ridiculous.
“We haven’t competed well enough and that is the disappointing thing for me.”