POTTS POWER PUTS POSH IN THEIR PLACE
Deadly Brad sparks rout of Evans’ men
PETERBOROUGH United were individually and collectively poor, boss Steve Evans admitted after seeing his side thrashed at home by promotion rivals Barnsley.
The Tykes survived an early scare when goalkeeper Adam Davies kept out Ivan Toney’s penalty to strike twice in both halves, with Brad Potts scoring either side of half-time.
Former Posh midfielder George Moncur had given Barnsley the lead a minute after Toney’s penalty was saved, with substitute Jacob Brown finishing the scoring in the 92nd minute to move the visitors within two points of their opponents, who remain second.
Posh manager Steve Evans said: “They took advantage of us being individually and collectively poor.
“As a back four we were too deep so you allow a big area for them being able to pop it and pass it and move and play. And they did it very effectively.
“People will question whether the boys gave up, but I don’t think at any stage they did, but the harder they worked the worse it got for some of them.
“It was hard (as the manager), but you’re not successful in football over a period of time because every day is a good day. It’s been a bad day for us. Do I still believe in the group? Absolutely 100 per cent.
“This team was never built on just technical ability, but players that work hard, that are physical and strong.
“That have intensity and get in people’s faces. We’ve done none of that.” Things might have been different when Posh were awarded a controversial penalty in the 13th minute for contact on Joe Ward by Dimitri Cavaré.
Toney’s spot-kick, though, was well saved low down to his left by visiting custodian Davies, and Posh were punished a minute later when they failed to clear and the ball came to Moncur to score from close range.
Barnsley’s leading goalscorer Kieffer Moore nearly doubled the advantage he had a shot well saved by Peterborough goalkeeper Aaron Chapman, but he hobbled off injured a few minutes later to be replaced by Brown.
Potts then did make it 2-0 in the first minute of first-half injury time when he rifled in a free-kick from 25 yards which had been touched in his direction.
Barnsley continued to dominate after the break, with Potts taking Moncur’s pass to finish low into the corner from 20 yards just before the hour mark.
Things got worse as winger Marcus Maddison went off injured before Brown hit a low shot into the corner of the net to finish the scoring.
Delighted Barnsley head coach Daniel Stendel said: “It was a very good perfomance from my team and I’m very proud. “In this moment I would like to say I’m delighted for everyone, but a little bit more for (left-back) Ben Williams. It was his first game and I only told
him this morning that he was starting, and he played a good match.
“The desire was there from Tuesday’s game (against Plymouth).
“We only drew and we spoke about what we could do better in the next game.
“We have a lot of quality but we need the right attitude in every game, and we saw this today.
“We lost some points earlier in the season because of too many draws. Peterborough were not so bad, but we were so good that they never had any answers.
“We had to substitute Kieffer Moore in the first half, but the young player who came on, Jacob Brown, played well and scored.”
PETERBOROUGH: Chapman 4, Naismith 4, Bennett 4, Tafazolli 4, Daniel 6 (Lyon 54, 5), Maddison 5 (Reed 65, 5), Walker 5 (Godden 27, 6), Woodyard 6, O’Hara 6, Ward 5, Toney 4. Subs not used: Dembele, Cooke, Cummings, Tyler.
BARNSLEY: Davies 8, Cavare 7, Pinnock 7, Lindsay 7, B Williams 6, Mowatt 7, Dougall 7, Bahre 8 (Thiam 89), Potts 9 (Hedges 78 7), Moncur 8, Moore 7 (Brown 36, 6). Subs not used: McGeehan, Walton, Jackson, Adeboyejo.