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Town Aim to Continue Positive Start and End Long Wait for Win at Peterborough
Friday, 16th Aug 2019 15:24

Town visit Peterborough on Saturday looking for their first win at London Road since January 1972 - and their first ever victory there in the league - as they aim to continue their positive start to their League One campaign.

Goals from Mick Hill and Colin Viljoen saw Bobby Robson’s Blues to a 2-0 victory over Posh in a third round FA Cup tie on that occasion, Town’s only win at London Road, which is currently known as the Weston Homes Stadium.

The teams didn’t meet again until 2006 since when Peterborough has been a less than happy hunting ground, most notably in August 2011 when the Blues fell to that infamous 7-1 defeat.

Paul Lambert’s side travel to Cambridgeshire having won their opening League One away game at Burton 1-0, before last Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland, a match which they should have won.

That result was followed by Tuesday night’s 3-1 Carabao Cup first-round exit at Luton, however, it was a much-changed line-up featuring players on their way back from injury and youngsters which faced the Hatters.

Lambert will be hoping his team can take their League One points tally to seven from nine, which will constitute a solid start to their first third tier campaign in 62 years.

“We’re playing well, and that’s the thing,” he said. “We know what we’ve got to go and do, everybody is right behind it, and we’re ready for the game that’s for sure.”

Despite Peterborough having lost all three of their games so far this season, a 3-1 home defeat by Fleetwood was followed by two 1-0 losses at Oxford United, one in League One, one in the Carabao Cup, Lambert is expecting to face a tough Posh side.

“It’s going to be strong, it’s a strong team,” he said. “But we’ve got 4,000 fans going which is incredible, it’s an extraordinary support we have, it really is.

“That’s the way the club should be. It shouldn’t be what I saw against Middlesbrough all those months ago where you could have heard a pin drop.

“Now it’s different, a totally different ball game with the support and it’s credit to them coming out in their numbers to support and get behind the team.

“There’s been a lot of young ones coming and a lot of new ones I’ve noticed, but that’s the way it should be, that’s what you call a proper support.”

Does he expect Peterborough to be challengers for promotion this season? “I expect every team, not just because it’s a big club or a big name. Every game’s hard, every game’s tough, this will be no different to any other game, every game is tough.”

Regarding Posh manager Darren Ferguson, a fellow Scot, he added: “I don’t know him particularly well, I know of him and I’ve met him a few times, but I don’t know him that well.

“They’ve gone for it at the start of the season, and maybe results haven’t been great. Darren’s not happy with the way they’ve performed, but it’s still a hard game.”

Lambert says he’s led sides at London Road before and believes his team will be helped by their large away following.

“I’ve been there a few times,” he recalled. “Our support will be brilliant and our support will get right behind it, and it’ll be a great atmosphere, and we know we have to go and win.”


Lambert will return to a side close to the one which started against Sunderland, although the Blues manager mentioned that one or two unnamed players were suffering from knocks at this morning’s press conference.

Tomas Holy looks set to start in goal, while Janoi Donacien will be at right-back with Kane Vincent-Young expected to complete his move from Colchester once the results of his medical have been confirmed over the weekend.

Myles Kenlock will be at left-back with skipper Luke Chambers and Luke Woolfenden the centre-halves.

Cole Skuse and Flynn Downes appear set to return in the centre of midfield with Danny Rowe on the right.

Luke Garbutt misses out due to the knee injury he suffered last week and Lambert has a decision to make in the wide left role.

Alan Judge is perhaps the most obvious choice, however, the Town manager is concerned about the Republic of Ireland international playing another game so soon after his first start of the season at Luton.

Lambert made similar comments about Gwion Edwards, who played his first game since April at Kenilworth Road, although the Welshman has said he is ready to play against his former club.

Other alternatives include Jordan Roberts, Andre Dozzell or Idris El Mizouni, although the latter pair are more comfortable in the centre than in wide roles, while Lambert played down the chances of Armando Dobra being handed a league debut despite the Albanian U19 international’s bright display and debut goal against the Hatters.

Up front, Lambert seems likely to continue with the James Norwood-Kayden Jackson pairing.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson believes Town will be one of the contenders at the top of League One come the end of the season.

“Ipswich getting relegated obviously means they’re one of the bigger clubs in the league,” he told the Peterborough official website.

“Come the end of the season they’ll probably be one of the teams up there — they have a very experienced manager and have started the season well.

“It’s going to be a test for us. These are the games that I look forward to and the players want to play in.

“There will be 4,000 away supporters and I draw similarities from the back end of last season when we faced Sunderland. It was a big crowd and a big atmosphere and I expect similar on Saturday.”

Regarding their poor first fortnight of the campaign, Ferguson added: “Obviously we’re disappointed with the results at the start of the season, to lose three games on the bounce at any stage is disappointing.

“After analysing the three games we’ve played it’s not hard to see that the goals we’ve conceded have all been avoidable.

“It’s all about what my players give, I saw some good signs on Tuesday, added to the second half against Oxford on the Saturday — we’ve just got make sure we keep progressing. We have got different ways of playing in terms of formations and shapes.

“As I said I can see good signs, so we just need to keep the belief and stick to our guns. There’s no lack of confidence but we just have to iron out certain things. I’m convinced once we get that first win, we’ll be absolutely fine and we’ll start putting results together.”

While the Blues are close to signing Vincent-Young, Peterborough have added a right-back of their own to their squad ahead of Saturday's match.

Nathan Thompson has joined them on a two-year deal having left Portsmouth at the end of last season in search of a move to the Championship.

Historically, Posh have the upper hand, winning five times (two in the league), four matches having ended in draws (three) and the Blues having been victorious on two occasions (once in the league).

Despite their lack of a competitive win since 1972, Town were actually victorious in their last game at London Road, a 3-1 success in an epic four-quarter friendly encounter in pre-season ahead of 2017/18.

The teams last met at London Road in March 2013 when Frank Nouble came closest to breaking the deadlock as the game ended in a 0-0 draw.

Nouble, who had signed from Wolves two months earlier, struck the woodwork from 25 yards and then forced Posh keeper Bobby Olejnik into a fine save during the first half.

Earlier that season at Portman Road, DJ Campbell netted his fifth goal in nine games from the penalty spot in the second half as the Blues drew 1-1 with fellow strugglers Peterborough.

Posh went ahead via Lee Tomlin during a dreadful first half with Town improving after the break.

Blues winger Edwards joined Town from Posh for £700,000 last summer. In two years at London Road the Welshman made 62 starts and 12 sub appearances, scoring 16 times.

Town forward Roberts was a first-year scholar with Peterborough before being released, while Kayden Jackson underwent a medical at London Road in the summer of 2018, Posh having agreed a fee with Accrington before the striker ultimately opted to join the Blues.

Town’s academy head of player and coaching development Bryan Klug was a player with Peterborough between 1984 and 1985.

The Blues spoke to Posh keeper Christy Pym prior to signing Holy in the summer, with the former England U20 international subsequently moving to London Road from hometown club Exeter.

"Veteran midfielder George Boyd almost joined the Blues from Peterborough in the summer of 2012 but Town were unable to agree terms with the Scotland international. Peterborough’s first-team coach is former Town loan striker Aaron Mclean.

Saturday’s referee is Martin Coy from Durham, who showed 94 yellow cards and two red in 35 games last season.

This year he has refereed one match, Tuesday’s 2-2 Carabao Cup draw between Blackpool and Macclesfield in which he showed five yellow cards. The game at London Road will be Coy’s first Town fixture.

Squad from: Holy, Norris, Donacien, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Clements, Chambers (c), Wilson, Woolfenden, Ndaba, Skuse, Downes, Dozzell, Huws, Nolan, Judge, Edwards, El Mizouni, Rowe, Dobra, Roberts, Jackson, Norwood.


Photo: TWTD



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itfchorry added 15:48 - Aug 16
Mick Hill - was one of my favourite players -

Scored a great goal against Liverpool at Portman Road
When we beat them 1-0 on Match of the Day in
1970 - Happy Days
6

sixtyblue added 16:25 - Aug 16
Chambers in match lost.this will lead to Woolfenden losing confidence if results go the wrong way.Llambert is suffering from McCarthy it is.
-4

LWNR2013 added 16:32 - Aug 16
I was there.
2

norfolkbluey added 17:23 - Aug 16
Let's be positive Guys! Our luck has to change at Peterborough some day and why not tomorrow!
1

Dolphinblue added 17:55 - Aug 16
Coyb!
1

whosroundisitanyway added 18:12 - Aug 16
itfchorry
I was there and remember it well.
Picked the ball up near the halfway line, carried it to the edge of the box and smashed it into the corner of the net!
M I
M I C
M I C K
MICK HILL!
The North Stand went wild.
Oh what memories.
3

SheptonMalletBlue added 19:34 - Aug 16
No clean sheet then tomorrow!! What does the manager and previous managers see in the fist pumper? 😳
-2

shakytown added 19:52 - Aug 16
Score draw is the most likely result as we will never keep a clean sheet with captain calamity on the field.
3

Saxonblue74 added 19:53 - Aug 16
Shepton, yes this manager and previous managers. MM and PL being very experienced ones at that. Maybe we should trust the experts.......cue the Chambo haters!!!!
0

bomber21 added 20:08 - Aug 16
Nothing but a win and a good performance will do Mr Lambert,your PR is great,but your win record since becoming our manager is abysmal,the change has to start tomorrow for the sake of our marvellous supporters,otherwise your interviews will become a bit tedious.
-1

ITFCsince73 added 20:30 - Aug 16
In Chambo we rust.
5

Dolphinblue added 20:47 - Aug 16
Bomber21.....shut it muppet 🐬
1

harlingblue added 01:15 - Aug 17
4-4-2 for me with the players that are 100% fit, and that have had successful game time.
Holy
Donacien Chambers Woolfenden Kenlock
Rowe Downes Skues Roberts
Jackson Norwood
0

Fat_Boy_Tim added 06:56 - Aug 17
Aren't we all picking out Skuse for abuse anymore? It's the same people making the same comments just with Chambers cut and pasted into them (remember when it was Berra being singled out?). Just support instead of jumping on ridiculous bandwagons.
2

ITFCsince73 added 08:25 - Aug 17
Lol fatboy. Skuse, it would appear has upped his game.
And about time too.
We need our Captain and vice to be bang on it this season, if we want promotion.
In 2 games so far, our captain has just been bang average...at best.
This isn't good enough....simple.
0

bobble added 09:21 - Aug 17
3-0 TO TOWN
0

TimmyH added 10:53 - Aug 17
I feel we'll have to keep waiting for that elusive win at Peterboro, they've lost both their opening games and will be desperate for at least a point - so score draw for me...
0

whymark4lazio0 added 13:22 - Aug 17
whosroundisitanyway itfchorry

1


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