POsh 2 (Tomlin (pen), Assombalonga) MKDons 1 (McLeod)
The return of our play-off rivals from 2011 a team we just love to beat.
I went hoping for a team performance to rival that of the Reading Cup match rather than the 3 previous Home League games where we far
from our best.
As a team performance today it was absolutely outstanding, though not for the reasons I had hoped.
Maestro asks on another thread had Posh lost the plot and playing dirty football - no, that is not the case.
MK came to London Road for a point and were time-wasting and play-acting from the start. Did Knight-Percival deserve the red card? We in the Family Stand
thought it might have been a challenge worthy of a Yellow at worst, the antics of Bamford, rolling around on the floor clutching his face, clearly convinced the Referee
that Bamford had been pole-axed by Mike Tyson.
Referees are supposed to be impartial yet the count of 4 yellow cards and 2 red cards against the Posh team is incredibly harsh, MK committed more fouls, some as bad
as, if not worse than Posh's yet each MK transgression was met with nothing more than fatherly advice and a pat on the back.
I have refereed when I was younger, albeit at a much lower level, Mr Drysdale you are not fit to wear the RA badge.
Some MK fans had been commenting before the match that Drysdale had refereed them on 6 previous occasions and they had never lost, well now you have.
After the first sending-off Darren Ferguson made the brave decision to keep all his attacking players on the pitch with Craig Alcock moving from Left Back to Centre Back and
Skipper Tommy Rowe dropping into the now vacant LB slot.
Such a shrewd tactical move paid handsome dividends, Posh and the crowd were fired up by the perceived injustice whilst MK seemed unable, or unwilling, to change their
tactics now they had a man advantage. Posh were rewarded with a penalty (though no booking for the clumsy challenge) after a delightful, mazy run by Danny Swanson
ended when he was fouled in the MK penalty area.
Lee Tomlin stepped up and fired us into the lead much to the delight of the Home faithful. A few years ago Posh were in a similar situation in League playing against the
Cobblers at Sixfields - losing a man and then scoring and going on to win the match, could we repeat that feat, we all hoped we could.
Posh's tactics were clear, concede possession and space to MK when they were in their own half, conserve energy and then hit them on the counter attack.
Just after the 1/2 hour mark Bamford had a shot at goal, the ball was cleared to Swanson who carried it forward neatly towards the halfway line before releasing Britt Assombalonga
with a fine pass. Britt shrugged of the challenge of the defender as he surged towards the goal, he seemed to have been forced too wide and the angle was narrowing rapidly, but
a clinical left-footed shot beat Martin for the vital second goal.
London Road erupted, a pressure valve had been released, now we had something to defend, victory was a real possibility.
MK lacked any real urgency, the passing and movement was pretty enough but training ground stuff.
The second half continued the same way as the first, plenty of MK possession but no real cutting edge, though Bobby did make a couple of fine saves.
With Posh players beginning to tire MK finally made the breakthrough, the ball ping-ponging around the Posh goalmouth before McLeod applied the finishing touch.
The tension amongst the Home fans began to rise once more and worse was to follow when Mark Little was sent off 2 minutes later.
It was hard enough with 10 how would we cope with 9? With grit, determination and not a little luck that's how.
That will, I'm sure, go down as one of the performances of the season, not for the exhilarating football, but for the sheer determination, grit, application and will to win
shown by the boys in blue.
Posh are much improved at the back and that is down to the coaching ability of Gary Breen, his influence was clear to see.
I am not bothered if we get beaten at Sunderland on Tuesday, all that match means to me is it is one less League game that our two red-carded defenders have to miss.
A little foot-note - I met up with Bedrock Fred and Uncle Mick at Charters and Mick related that some MK fans had stood near him and commented on the selection of
Real Ales available in the beer tent. Mick told them they would be alright going in as the beer was being served in plastic glasses.
My Man of the Match is the whole Posh team, Management and coaching staff.
The return of our play-off rivals from 2011 a team we just love to beat.
I went hoping for a team performance to rival that of the Reading Cup match rather than the 3 previous Home League games where we far
from our best.
As a team performance today it was absolutely outstanding, though not for the reasons I had hoped.
Maestro asks on another thread had Posh lost the plot and playing dirty football - no, that is not the case.
MK came to London Road for a point and were time-wasting and play-acting from the start. Did Knight-Percival deserve the red card? We in the Family Stand
thought it might have been a challenge worthy of a Yellow at worst, the antics of Bamford, rolling around on the floor clutching his face, clearly convinced the Referee
that Bamford had been pole-axed by Mike Tyson.
Referees are supposed to be impartial yet the count of 4 yellow cards and 2 red cards against the Posh team is incredibly harsh, MK committed more fouls, some as bad
as, if not worse than Posh's yet each MK transgression was met with nothing more than fatherly advice and a pat on the back.
I have refereed when I was younger, albeit at a much lower level, Mr Drysdale you are not fit to wear the RA badge.
Some MK fans had been commenting before the match that Drysdale had refereed them on 6 previous occasions and they had never lost, well now you have.
After the first sending-off Darren Ferguson made the brave decision to keep all his attacking players on the pitch with Craig Alcock moving from Left Back to Centre Back and
Skipper Tommy Rowe dropping into the now vacant LB slot.
Such a shrewd tactical move paid handsome dividends, Posh and the crowd were fired up by the perceived injustice whilst MK seemed unable, or unwilling, to change their
tactics now they had a man advantage. Posh were rewarded with a penalty (though no booking for the clumsy challenge) after a delightful, mazy run by Danny Swanson
ended when he was fouled in the MK penalty area.
Lee Tomlin stepped up and fired us into the lead much to the delight of the Home faithful. A few years ago Posh were in a similar situation in League playing against the
Cobblers at Sixfields - losing a man and then scoring and going on to win the match, could we repeat that feat, we all hoped we could.
Posh's tactics were clear, concede possession and space to MK when they were in their own half, conserve energy and then hit them on the counter attack.
Just after the 1/2 hour mark Bamford had a shot at goal, the ball was cleared to Swanson who carried it forward neatly towards the halfway line before releasing Britt Assombalonga
with a fine pass. Britt shrugged of the challenge of the defender as he surged towards the goal, he seemed to have been forced too wide and the angle was narrowing rapidly, but
a clinical left-footed shot beat Martin for the vital second goal.
London Road erupted, a pressure valve had been released, now we had something to defend, victory was a real possibility.
MK lacked any real urgency, the passing and movement was pretty enough but training ground stuff.
The second half continued the same way as the first, plenty of MK possession but no real cutting edge, though Bobby did make a couple of fine saves.
With Posh players beginning to tire MK finally made the breakthrough, the ball ping-ponging around the Posh goalmouth before McLeod applied the finishing touch.
The tension amongst the Home fans began to rise once more and worse was to follow when Mark Little was sent off 2 minutes later.
It was hard enough with 10 how would we cope with 9? With grit, determination and not a little luck that's how.
That will, I'm sure, go down as one of the performances of the season, not for the exhilarating football, but for the sheer determination, grit, application and will to win
shown by the boys in blue.
Posh are much improved at the back and that is down to the coaching ability of Gary Breen, his influence was clear to see.
I am not bothered if we get beaten at Sunderland on Tuesday, all that match means to me is it is one less League game that our two red-carded defenders have to miss.
A little foot-note - I met up with Bedrock Fred and Uncle Mick at Charters and Mick related that some MK fans had stood near him and commented on the selection of
Real Ales available in the beer tent. Mick told them they would be alright going in as the beer was being served in plastic glasses.
My Man of the Match is the whole Posh team, Management and coaching staff.
