Posh clinch play-off place with big win

Malik Mothersille scored his first Football League goal and Jed Steer saved two penalties as Posh bounded into the League One play-offs.

Posh beat Fleetwood 4-1 in a game with little quality, but plenty of incidents, many of them caused by a bizarre refereeing performance from Sebastian Stockbridge.

There was a dramatic start as the visitors kicked off and scored after 14 seconds. Bosun Lawal was the scorer from the edge of the area as Posh sleep-walked into the game.

It should have been 2-0 on 10 minutes when Ronnie Edwards was harshly adjudged to have fouled Lawal, but the penalty from Promise Omochere was saved comfortably by Steer.

Posh levelled on 18 minutes when Mothersille tapped home from close range after a fine cross from David Ajiboye.

Ephron Mason-Clark

forced visiting goalkeeper Jay Lynch into a good save in the first minute of the second-half.

Fleetwood were gifted a second chance to take the lead from spot in the 76th minute when Josh Knight was deemed to have fouled Omochere, but again Steer was able to fall on a terrible spot-kick, this time from Lawal.

And that was the invitation Posh needed to burst clear in the final stages.

Archie Collins was played through by Clarke-Harris and finished expertly before the double Golden Boot winner drilled home after latching onto a big Steer clearance. And a superb run and pass from Mason-Clark gave Clarke-Harris a tap in for the final goal.

MATCH FACTS

Posh team and ratings: Steer 8, Katongo 6, Burrows 6, Knight 6, Edwards 6, Kyprianou 6, Collins 7, Randall 4, Ajiboye 7, Mason-Clark 7. Mothersille 7. Subs used: Poku (for Randall 56 mins), Jones (for Katongo, 79 mins), Clarke-Harris (for Mothersille, 79 mins), Crichlow (for Jones, 83 mins).

Goals: Posh – Mothersille (18 mins), Collins (82 mins), Clarke-Harris (90 + 5 mins & 90 + 7 mins) Fleetwood – Lawal (1 min). Posh cautions: Clarke-Harris

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge 5.

Attendance: 6,385. Reaction to this game can befoundonwww.peterboroughtoday.co.uk.

Malik Mothersille scores the first Football League goal of his career for Posh against Fleetwood. Photos Joe Dent/thePosh.com and David Lowndes.

Ephron Mason-Clark in action for Posh v Fleetwood.

Jed Steer saves a first-half Fleetwood penalty.