Sloppy work that would have shamed schoolboys

PoshbossGrantMcCannwas harsh to describe the defensive efforts of his team in the final few minutes as ‘schoolboy-like’.

First- formers and PE teachers all over the city should be up in arms at having their reputations trashed so unfairly.

McCann was however rightly upset his side failed todefendaleadgiventothem byfull debutantGeorgeMoncur’s secondgoal six minutes from the end of normal.

It was a lead Posh thoroughly deserved against poor opposition and one that would have arrived earlier had striker Tom Nichols notmissedtwosittersduring a dominant second-half.

Nichols appeared to have wriggled off the hook when Moncurslottedhomefollowing fine work from suvstitute Paul Taylor, but instead of the goal galvanising Posh and delivering third place in the League One table, they instead slipped into panic mode.

Passes went stray, defensive clearances were sliced into the air and Vale winger Jerome Thomas, effectively shackled by Posh right-back Michael Smith for three- quarters of the game, started to torment his replacement Hayden White.

The equaliser when it arrived therefore came as little shock. Nor did the route a s Pos h co n - ceded their fourth penalty in seven League One matches, plus the added shame of a red card for Andrew Hughes as heblockedagoal-boundshot with his hands.

Alex Jones comfortably converted the 94th-minute penalty to go with his sixthminute strike which gave Vale a lead they maintained for just two minutes.

Moncur, who was head and shoulders above his team- mates, scored that equaliser after latching onto MarcusMaddison’s finepass and Posh really should have gone on to win this game at acanter. Hughes missed a glorious opportunity to score a goal when cleverly set up by Moncur and he was doublypunishedatthedeath for his sloppiness.

Clearly defensive frailties are hindering what has still beenasteadystart to the season, although on-loan goalkeeper Luke McGee made a decentdebutwhichincluded afinelatesavewithhisfeet to thwart Thomas.

Andrew Hughes takes on Port Vale’s Alex Jones.