Town’s dismal season got even worse as Peterborough deservedly came from behind to beat the Blues 3-1 at London Road. Daryl Murphy’s third goal in three games put Town in front with the Blues comfortable before the break but having missed chances, however, in the second half the Posh hit back with goals from Liam Dickinson, Lee Frecklington and Craig Morgan.

Boss Roy Keane made two changes to the side which won at QPR last week. Liam Rosenior returned at right-back for Jaime Peters, while David Healy took over from Pablo Couñago up front.

On a pitch which was boggy in places and bumpy throughout, the Blues started strongly. In the second minute Murphy’s flicked header played in Healy but Peterborough keeper Joe Lewis was quickly off his line to block, colliding with the Northern Irishman in the process and requiring treatment.

Town went ahead in the seventh minute when a corner on the left reached Daryl Murphy at the far post, where he stooped to nod home for his third goal in three games since his loan move.

Two minutes later, Walters struck a shot at Lewis, while continental-style flares appeared on the Town terrace behind the goal defended by Arran Lee-Barrett, much to the chagrin of the stewards and police.

The Blues continued to dominate and in the 11th minute, Murphy broke in on goal from the left but saw his shot saved by Lewis. The loose ball fell to the Irish frontman but his chip flew miles over the bar with the goal gaping.

On 24 Peterborough had their first chance of the game, Healy making the mess of a clearance on the Town right and Tommy Rowe crossing for Craig Mackail-Smith, who only narrowly missed getting a touch on the edge of the six-yard box.

Josh Simpson, a one-time Town academy schoolboy, was booked for a foul on Jack Colback in the 28th minute, then moments later sent in a cross which from the left which almost led to a Peterborough goal. Colback got to the ball first but Mackail-Smith still managed to get a shot in but the Sunderland loanee was in the way and his scuffed effort went behind for a corner.

Town had the ball in the net twice just after the half hour mark, Norris picking up a yellow card for handball in the first incident, while a linesman’s flag was raised for offside for the second.

On 34 Peterborough boss Jim Gannon swapped striker Mackail-Smith for West Brom loanee Reuben Reid, who he used in a wide right role, moving to a five-man midfield. The change had an immediate effect with Reid using his pace to get in behind Colback on three occasions before the break, only interceptions from McAuley and others preventing goals.

Three minutes before the break, Damien Delaney picked up a yellow card for a foul on Simpson.

In injury time, Liam Rosenior’s cross from the right flew just ahead of Healy and Murphy, moments before the referee blew the half-time whistle.

For the majority of the half the Blues had been comfortable. They had scored their now usual early goal but as at QPR last week missed a number of other decent chances which would have all but sealed the match.

Peterborough had only really started to look a threat after the substitution 11 minutes before the break.

Sub Reid was instrumental in the move which led to the home side’s equaliser a minute into the second half, making a run in from the right before taking a dive as he ran past Grant Leadbitter, much to the annoyance of the Town team. The freekick was laid off to debutant Liam Dickinson, who curled a shot around the wall and into the corner of the net.

It was the worst possible way for the Blues to start the second half but on 48 they should have gone back in front when Daryl Murphy powered his way beyond the Peterborough defence but hit his shot straight at the advancing Lewis.

Four minutes later, the Ireland international was felled inside the area when through on goal, but the linesman’s flag had already been raised.

On 54 Jaime Peters replaced Owen Garvan, the Canadian going to left-back to counteract the pace of Reid and Colback switching to midfield. Six minutes later, David Norris’s shot from the edge of the area deflected only narrowly wide.

The home side went in front in the 63rd minute when Lee Frecklington, who scored against the Blues in the Carling Cup tie at the same ground earlier in the season, played a one-two on the edge of the area and lashed a low shot beyond Lee-Barrett.

Peterborough had had the better of the second half with Town again being made to pay for their failure to take their chances when they had been on top.

Peters saw a shot blocked on 68 but the Blues were looking short of ideas and confidence around the penalty area. The home side might have gone further ahead two minutes later when Lee-Barrett superbly pushed another former Town academy schoolboy Chris Whelpdale’s shot round the post.

With 19 minutes remaining, Pablo Couñago and Alan Quinn replaced David Healy and Alan Quinn, Jack Colback moving into the centre. Healy again looked very short of match fitness, while Leadbitter had put in probably the quietest shift of his Town career so far.

Reid’s shot was deflected over off Peters in the 81st minute with Peterborough looking the much more likely side to score the games next goal. And, after Lee-Barrett had again done well to push Dickinson’s deflected 25-yard shot wide, the third goal duly came. The resultant corner flew in from the left and Craig Morgan headed home from close in with Lee-Barrett nowhere.

There was no way back for the Blues who continued to huff and puff but showed little in the way of ideas, creation or penetration.

A hugely disappointing result, particularly after Town had enjoyed much the better of the game for the first half an hour or so and had had the chances to seal the victory.

As at QPR last week, the Blues’ performance drifted with Peterborough dominating the game after the tactical chance and introduction of the pacy Reid not long before the break, the loanee from West Brom causing the Town backline, particularly Colback, huge problems.

Town boss Roy Keane had no answer to his Peterborough counterpart Jim Gannon’s change and, after Murphy had missed his chance shortly after the equaliser, never looked like regaining control of the match.

The loss keeps the Blues one place and one point from the relegation zone with a deserved defeat to the side which has been rooted to the bottom of the table all season a huge psychological blow at a crucial stage of the season.

Town: Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, Colback, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter (Quinn 71), Norris, Walters, Garvan (Peters 54), Healy (Couñago 71), D Murphy. Unused: B Murphy, D Wright, Balkestein, Edwards. Att: 9,428.

Photo: Action Images

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