Junior has come of age for the Posh

JUNIOR MORIAS’ last-gasp goal for Peterborough at Gillingham was worthy of winning any game, although his manager Grant McCann had to admit that it was a little out of place.

The match was a quintessential 0-0 for 90 minutes; desperately short of quality and with a paucity of chances at either end between two teams lacking in confidence.

But Morias snatched the points for Posh with a brilliant late strike to keep their slim play-off hopes alive and leave the Gills, worryingly short of an attacking threat, just three points above the relegation zone.

McCann said: “The game itself was poor and the pitch played a massive part in that for both teams.

“I don’t think there were three or four passes strung together from both teams.

“I said to the lads at half-time that it was going to be a bit of magic that wins the game and we’ve got enough players with a bit of magic to win a game.

“The goal was just worthy of winning the game, it was a tremendous strike from Junior.

“I was delighted for him because during the week he’s been desperate for a chance.”

The only incident of a truly awful first half didn’t actually involve any of the players, as referee Brendan Malone went off with an injury after 38 minutes, with linesman Chris Wade taking up the whistle.

The match finally started to open up after the break, as Gills substitute Harry Cornick shot wide from 25 yards, before Marcus Maddison’s ambitious free kick dipped just the wrong side of the crossbar.

Debutant Tomas Holy then produced an excellent save as he tipped over a fantastic long-range effort by Peterborough captain Chris Forrester.

Then came a late twist, as Morias let fly from 25 yards and Holy this time had no chance as the ball sailed past him into the net.

Gillingham boss Ady Pennock could find few consolations in defeat. “It was just a very poor game and when you play those games, you’ve got to get something out of it and we haven’t,” he said.

“It wasn’t for the lack of trying, it was just a game that just didn’t get going.

“There were too many stops in the first half – even the referee got bloody injured – and then we came out late after half-time because the officials weren’t ready.

“I’m not saying it’s an excuse; what I’m saying is that it just didn’t flow as we wanted.”