EVANS HAILS POSH’S NINE NEW BOYS
THE last time Peterborough gained promotion from League One in 2010-11, they kicked off with a home victory against Bristol Rovers – and boss Steve Evans hailed the heart of his players as they kicked off the new campaign in the same way.
Evans’ new-look side – which featured nine debutants with another two later arriving from the bench – survived a late scare to triumph.
Summer signings Matt Godden (inside the first minute) and Mark O’Hara (just past the mid-point of the first half) opened their Posh goal accounts with classy headers – provided by crosses from full-backs Jason Naismith and Colin Daniel respectively – to put the hosts in command.
Posh rarely looked like adding to their tally and never appeared to be in much danger of conceding either until Rovers finished with a charge in stoppage-time.
Captain Tom Lockyer pounced from point-blank range to halve Rovers’ arrears and prompt a nervy climax as Posh held on for maximum points.
Boss Evans said: “There’s always a mixed bag of results on the opening day of the season. Throw in nine debutants and 90-degree heat and it was always going to be a challenge for us, so I’m very happy with three points.
“We were absolutely terrific in the first half, but we know a game is never finished at 2-0. Some of the inconsistencies we saw from ourselves in the second half are understandable given we have made so many changes.
“I shook the hand of every player as they walked into the dressing room after the game as they have given me absolutely everything they have from the first minute we met up in pre-season.
“We have hearts the size of King Kong and Big Ben compared to what we were missing last season.”
Rovers boss Darrell Clarke let rip at his players after suffering a losing start for a sixth successive season.
He said: “I can’t take any positives from the game unfortunately. I picked the team and the system, so I have to hold responsibility.
“We had more of the play and we had more chances, but that counts for nothing when we lose the game. “We worked really hard all pre-season to make sure we got off to a good start. “To concede so early was a disaster. We didn’t stop a cross into the box and that shouldn’t happen. “We also have to defend their second goal a bit better even though it was a good header. “I thought we were losing the tag of being a bit soft and a bit flaky away from home, but sadly it was there again in the first 30 minutes and it won’t be accepted.”
PETERBOROUGH: Chapman 7, Naismith 8, Bennett 7, Tafazolli 7, Daniel 8, Dembele 7 (Reed 81 6), O’Hara 8, Woodyard 7, Ward 7, Godden 8 (Stevens 87 6), Cummings 7 (Cooke 61, 7) Subs not used: O’Malley, Yorwerth, Denton, Cooper,
BRISTOL ROVERS: Slocombe 6, Leadbitter 6 (Reilly 62, 6),Lockyer 8, Craig 6, Clarke 6, Upson 6, Lines 6, Sercombe 7, Bennett 7 (Matthews 66, 6), Nichols 6 (Mensah 70, 6), Rodman 6 Subs not used: Smith, Broadbent, Kelly, Russe