Posh strike to knock City off top of the table
TIGERS FAIL TO TAKE THEIR CHANCES AND LET VICTORY SLIP FROM THEIR GRASP
Two second half goals from Peterborough United saw them inflict a first home defeat on league leaders Hull City at the KCOM Stadium. City were a goal in front at the break following a fine Mallik Wilks opener 36 minutes in, before Jonson Clarke-harris and a deflected Siriki Dembele strike turned things on their head to hand Darren Ferguson’s Posh a fifth straight league victory.
Boss Grant Mccann will rue a plethora of missed chances as the game wore on, with Greg Docherty, Keane Lewis-potter, Richie Smallwood and Mallik Wilks all going close to getting a share of the points, but City lose their second match of the campaign.
Mccann made two changes from the side which saw off AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday, with Josh Emmanuel and Wilks coming in for Lewie Coyle and Hakeeb Adelakun.
Arguably the biggest decision for Mccann was whether to keep faith with Jacob Greaves, or recall Jordy de Wijs, following Greaves’ terrific first two outings for the club - correctly, the manager stuck with the youngster alongside Reece Burke.
For Posh, who came into the game on the back of four straight league wins, they were missing star man Sammie Szmodics.
The Tigers started brightly on a day which was anything but bright in East Yorkshire, as they rain swirled around the stadium.
Docherty looked to fashion a shot from the edge of the box, only to see it ricochet off a defender and back onto his arm, with the referee giving a free-kick against him.
Mccann’s message to be positive from the start was one clearly being carried out to the letter, as City looked to probe.
Josh Emmanuel enjoying the freedom of the right-hand side, picked out Lewis-potter with a diagonal in behind, only for LewisPotter’s normally solid first touch, letting him down.
As Posh threatened at the other end, Emmanuel was diligent in his defending against danger man Dembele, letting the ball roll almost roll behind for a goal kick, only to drag it back and take himself away from danger.
Callum Elder was booked for a lunge on Nathan Thompson as the City left-back tried to meet George Honeyman’s cross, clattering into the United defender - his second caution of the season.
City’s first shot on target was a decisive one. A driving run down the right from Wilks saw him head towards goal, fizz a ball into Josh Magennis, who laid it off brilliantly for his strike partner to guide past Christy Pym and into the bottom corner.
It was a lead City deserved for their bright, positive and probing play against a Posh side, content to give the ball to Dembele and hope for the best.
The Tigers, not content to sit back on that one goal advantage, came forward once again with Emmanuel, who sent over a deep cross to the back post looking for Magennis, but the striker got caught under the cross which allowed Frankie Kent to get a head away.
Terrific play from Honeyman saw him combine with Elder down the left, and the City playmaker slipped it past Reece Brown to surge into the box, he pulled it back for LewisPotter, who couldn’t apply the finish.
Ferguson’s change of system to allow his full-backs to press on higher up the pitch paid dividends, as their first effort of note found the net. Clarke-harris stole a march on Greaves at the near post to flash a header across Matt Ingram and into the net.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of City, for a period, before they came back with a bang.
First Docherty flashed a shot wide from 20 yards, before Wilks had a volley blocked onto the post and Pym tipped a Smallwood effort round the post.
Mccann made a double change with Magennis and Lewis-potter being replaced by Tom Eaves and Hakeeb Adelakun in the 72 minute.
Disaster then struck for City, as three minutes later, Posh took the lead in fortuitous circumstances.
Joe Ward surged down the right, away from Elder before sending over a cross which found Dembele on the edge of the box, he swivelled before seeing his effort hit Smallwood and loop up over Ingram and into the net.
City responded well, and Honeyman’s teasing cross from the right picked out Eaves who rose highest to flash a header inches wide of Pym’s far post.
Mccann’s Tigers continued to probe, desperate to find a leveller and despite five minutes of time being added on, City were left frustrated. It was a game Mccann will rue not taking something from.
Good day? Darren Ferguson. Master gets one over apprentice for the first time. Having fallen 1-0 behind in a first half City were the better side, Ferguson changed his system and it made a huge difference.
Bad day? Grant Mccann. Will be frustrated at the ease of which Posh got in down the right-hand side, and that his side didn’t react quickly enough to Ferguson’s switch to a back three. Changed the game.
Up next: Bristol Rovers tomorrow at the Memorial Stadium. Rovers have enjoyed a prolonged period off, after their game on Saturday at Accrington was called off due to a number of positive Covid-19 tests within the Stanley squad. It’ll be a game to respect, for City, but not one to cause them sleepless nights.