Another impressive scalp thanks to defensive heroics

Doughty defence is not what Poshare famousfor, but it’s a useful skill to have when you passtheballlike Barnetrather than Barcelona.

AndPoshprovedtheycan win when playing far from their best as they claimed a second Championship scalp if four days at Griffin Park.

It wasn’t pretty, but the saves of goalkeeper Ben Alnwick and the determined, and dogged defending of the back four ensured a quality second-minute strike from Paul Taylor turned out to be a winning goal.

Alnwick was terrific in turning aside goal-bound efforts fromScottHogan, Ryan Woods, JoshMcEachranand RomaineSawyers, but grate- ful to RyanTafazolli andJack Baldwin for the late blocks of shots from Woods and substitute Lewis M c l e o d t h at preserved his hard- earned clean sheet. Full-backs Michael Smith and Andrew Hughes were also solid, the latter is easing the disappointment of Callum Elder’s failure to show up for duty.

Manager Grant McCann wasn’t thrilled with the finer pointsofthePoshdisplay, but he will be happy that Taylor has joined Shaquile Coulthirst on the pre-season scoresheet. Taylor’s f i nish was the highest quality moment of the contest. Coulthirst also missed an open goal following Marcus Maddison’s perfect cross. Luckily the standard of the Posh defending meant it didn’t matter.

Jack Baldwin on the ball for Posh.