Posh shine in one-sided derby at sunny Sixfields

This set of Cobblers weren’t fit to lace the Posh players’ boots.

There have been some great derby duels down the years with the outcome often in doubt until the final whistle. This wsn’t one of them.

Last season at Sixfields was a tight affair settled by a late Chris Forrester winner. This time it was quite clear early on that the visitors would make it four wins from their first four league matches for just the third time in their history.

A scoreline of 4-1 did not flatter Posh who were superior throughout. They dominated possession under little pressure from their opponents and now sit top of the league with Northampton languishing at the bottom with no points.

Gwion Edwards and Marcus Maddison were both superb, so it was fitting that they should begin and end the scoring, the latter from the penalty spot in stoppage time to give the scoreline a deserved gloss.

In between there were goals for Junior Morias and Jack Marriott a sixth strike in three games for the latter.

And there could so easily have been more goals for McCann’s boys.

Leon Da Silva Lopes should have opened the scoring after a great turn and cross from the irrepressible Edwards but from eight yards out he volleyed over.

Marriott was twice set up by marvellous Maddison but saw an attempted lob and a one-on-one shot saved by the keeper and Morias fired into the side-netting when picked out again by Maddison.

Michael Doughty also floated a shot over from 12 yards.

And just to complete a wonderful day for Posh there was even a surprise return for Jermaine Anderson, the midfielder coming off the bench for a 12-minute cameo for his first action since suffering a second major knee injury in September 2016.

Marvellous Maddison rips poor Cobblers apart

Marcus Maddison after scoring from the penalty spot.