The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Toney confident of ending barren run
First goalscorer: 7/2 Evans (Fleetwood), 4/1 Toney (Posh), Godden (Posh), Madden (Fleetwood), 5/1 Tomlin (Posh), Maddison (Posh), 6/1 Hunter (Fleetwood), Burns (Fleetwood), 7/1 Cooper (Posh), Dembele (Posh), Stevens (Posh), 8/1 Ward (Posh), 12/1 Reed (Posh), Cooke (Posh), Wallace (Fleetwood), 16/1 Lafferty (Posh), Naismith (Posh), Woodyard (Posh), 20/1 White (Posh), Tafazolli (Posh), Bennett (Posh).
Peterborough United striker Ivan Toney is confident the goals will soon start flowing for him again.
Toney, a £600,000 capture from Newcastle United in August, has only scored three of his 19 goals in all competitions this season in 2019.
The 23 year-old hasn’t scored since claiming the only goal of the game at Oxford on February 16, but he remains relaxed and optimistic.
“Of course I love to score goals,” Toney said. “But we are winning games and that’s all that really matters at this stage of the season.
“I feel I’ve been contributing anyway. I’m happy to be a team player if we keep picking up three points.
“All strikers have sticky patches. I had one myself earlier this season, but there was no panic. I know that if I keep putting myself in good positions the goals will come again.
“I’m lucky to have Lee Tomlin and Marcus Maddison playing behind me. If you make the right run they will put the ball in the right place and with those two setting up the chances I’m sure I’ll stick one away soon.
“It’s the total goals at the end of the season that matters and my overall record isn’t bad. Anyway it makes no difference to me who scores as long as we win and we are looking for another three points at Fleetwood.
“It’s another tough game, but we are going up there with plenty of confidence.”
Toney is expected to play in a team unchanged from the one that battled to a 1-0 win at Blackpool last weekend, although centre-back Ryan Tafazolli faces a late fitness test.
“Ivan played well at Blackpool,” Posh manager Darren Ferguson said. “It’s a shame he didn’t tuck a late chance away as it would have done wonders for his confidence, but every other part of his game was in good order.
“We face another must-win game tomorrow and no-one should believe it’s going to be any easier because Fleetwood are not now likely to make the play-offs.
“Professional footballers always have something to play for. They will want to finish as high as they can and they will want to impress their manager with next season in mind.”
Ferguson also believes the consequences of Fleetwood manager Joey Barton’s alleged confrontation with Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel will have little impact on tomorrow’s game. The police are investigating an allegation of assault.
“I have no idea what went on,” Ferguson added. “And it’s not my concern. I doubt it will affect anything tomorrow.” Posh fell 2-1 behind eight minutes from time in this fixture last season, but claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory when Jack Marriott and Danny Lloyd scored in the final three minutes.
That was a first win in four meetings for Posh at Highbury. They’d lost the previous two games 2-0 after a 1-1 draw in their first meeting in February, 2015.
Joe Newell opened the scoring in that game for a Posh team managed by Darren Ferguson.
Posh: Loach, Smith, Brisley, Burgess, Bostwick, Anderson, Newell, Beautyman, James, Washington, Maddison. Subs used: Payne, McLean.
Posh have won four of the five Football League meetings at London Road. The exception was a 2-1 defeat in April, 2017 when Fleetwood were heading for the League One play-offs under Uwe Rosler. Ched Evans is comfortably the biggest name in the Fleetwood squad. The former Manchester City and Sheffield United striker has scored 16 goals this season.
Porlific lower division goalscorer Paddy Madden is two goal behind and Wes Burns (7 goals) completes a decent front three for League One level. Ashley Hunter is a gifted attacking midfielder who has scored seven times this season.
Goalkeeper Alex Cairns, whose fumble enabled Posh to clinch a dramatic win in this fixture last season, is Fleetwood’s only ever-present in League One this season. Centre-back Asley Eastham is a strong defender, while former Sunderland player Ross Wallace is another wellknown face in Joey Barton’s squad. Fleetwood have consistently appeared in the top half of the League One table this season without ever reaching the top six.
And their lingering hopes of a play-off place surely died with a 4-2 defeat at second-placed Barnsley. Fleetwood have beaten some good sides at Highbury this season though including Charlton, Doncaster, Burton Coventry and Blackpool. Scunthorpe and AFC Wimbledon are among the away teams to have won there. South Yorkshire Police are to talk to Fleetwood boss Joey Barton regarding allegations of an assault on Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel at Oakwell last weekend.
Stendel reportedly needed emergency dental treatment after an alleged incident with Barton in the tunnel after the Tykes’ 4-2 win.
It’s understood the treatment was due to Stendel’s two front teeth being pushed back after he collided with a metal pole in the tunnel.
Barton has been taking training as usual this week, but he was not expected to be part of the weekly pre-match press conference and as things stand he is expected to be in the dugout for the visit of Posh.