Red mist descends on the ABAX Stadium once more

The biggest breakdown in Posh discipline since Ray Hankin was wreaking havoc in the 1980s is underminding a push for promotion.

Posh players have had red cards waved in their faces in the first half of four of the last seven matches, an astonishing record for a team hardly known for the toughness of its tackling.

Top scorer Ivan Toney was the latest culprit with a barely believable decision to use his hand to stop a goalbound shot from Shrewsbury defender Omar Beckles crossing the line.

It would have been an equaliser for the Shrews, but with over an hour to play against a team who had looked pretty dismal upto then, Posh could well have won playing 11 v 11. It wasn’t a certainty on current form, but the departure of Toney the only reliable goal-getter in the squad - made defeat inevitable, or so the players appeared to believe.

Ollie Norburn blasted home the penalty conceded by Toney and Posh fell apart in the remaining 15 minutes, allowing impresive loan striker Tyrese Campbell to deliver a fine finish from an unmarked spot on the edge of the area and then to almost claim another goal.

A reshuffle from midfield diamond to wingbacks - one that happened 15 minutes too late - did cover up some gaping defensive cracks, but it didn’t spark Posh into attacking life and neither did the red card for Norburn which gave Darren Ferguson’s side 30 minutes to get something from the game playing 10 v 10.

Substitute Matt Godden did manage to miss the ball at the far post following a terrific Joe Ward cross and Kyle Dempsey did head tamely at goal after Ward had again done well, but otherwise only set-pieces from Marcus Maddison gave hope.

It was Maddison’s free kick that Jason Naismith nodded home in the 10th minute and the right-back came close to scoring again from another set-piece moments later. In the second-half Naismith’s close range smack was well saved by Shrews ‘keeper Steve Arnold, while Ryan Tafazolli missed two headed chances, all of them from Maddison deliveries.

Only Marcus Maddison’s set pieces looked dangerous.

Ivan Toney walks off after his red card.