Posh moved into fifth place in the Sky Bet League One table after a 3-1 victory over Exeter City on Bank Holiday Monday.
Peterborough United made it two wins out of two over the Easter weekend as Darren Ferguson’s men ran out 3-1 winners over Exeter City in difficult conditions at the Weston Homes Stadium with rain, hail and a blustery wind making the second half a challenge for both sides.
Harry Kite was cautioned inside the first five minutes for a shirt tug on Ronnie Edwards after the centre back drove out of defence and strode into a dangerous position on the edge of the penalty area. Joe Ward’s free-kick struck the wall before Exeter managed to hack the ball to safety.
A Ward cross was sliced behind for a corner kick by Alex Hartridge at the near post moments later as Posh continued to press in the early exchanges. Posh opened the scoring on seven minutes as an in-swinging Kwame Poku cross was sliced past his own keeper by the aforementioned Hartridge for an own goal.
As the quarter of an hour mark was reached, a hailstorm blew across the stadium with both teams struggling to adjust to the ever-changing conditions. Taylor saw a shot deflect wide of the target after good hold-up play from Clarke-Harris and then Mason-Clark in and around the edge of the penalty area.
Poku fired wide with his left-foot after a quickly-taken corner kick before the Grecians were forced into a change with Kevin McDonald limping out of the action. Taylor fired over on the half volley on 33 minutes after Mason-Clark kept a corner kick alive at the back post.
Poku was denied by the legs of Blackman moments later from a tight angle after a clever chipped pass forward from Taylor. Clarke-Harris wasn’t far away from making it 2-0 on 38 minutes with a curler from distance, but the effort went wide of the target.
Posh doubled the lead on 40 minutes as a raking pass from Norburn was superbly controlled by MASON-CLARK, who then had the precision to lob the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Exeter made a change at the break with Rakeem Harper replacing Harry Kite in the middle of the park. The visitors got themselves back in the game within a minute of the second half getting underway as substitute HARPER fired into the back of the net after some poor defending from Posh.
Exeter hit the post on 50 minutes through substitute Jack Sparkes as the Grecians caused plenty of problems for Posh after nothing notable in the first 45 minutes. Edwards fired over from just inside the penalty area on 55 minutes before Mason-Clark saw a powerful drive repelled by Blackman.
Exeter boss Gary Caldwell was cautioned for dissent two minutes later, much to his own frustration. Nombe flashed a header inches past the upright on 66 minutes as the Grecians came incredibly close to a leveller.
Posh restored their two-goal cushion on 69 minutes as a cross from the left was headed towards his own goal by Aimson, Blackman did well to keep it out, but CLARKE-HARRIS was there to convert from close-range. Kyprianou was booked for a foul before Ricky-Jade Jones and Josh Knight were introduced for Poku and Mason-Clark.
Harper was booked for a lunge on Jones as the game moved into six minutes of added time. Taylor flashed a shot wide of the target from distance as Posh came close to a fourth goal.
Posh: Norris, Ogbeta, Edwards, Kent, N. Thompson, Ward, Taylor, Norburn (sub Kyprianou 80min), Poku (sub Knight 84min), Clarke-Harris, Mason-Clark (sub Jones 84nmin). Unused subs: Blackmore, Burrows, Tshimanga, Butler.
Exeter City: Blackman, Caprice (sub Mitchell 58min), Hartridge (sub Grounds 76min), Collins, Nombe, Key, Aimson, Kite (sub Harper 46min), Cox (sub Scott 76min), Sweeney, McDonald (sub Sparkes 28min). Unused subs: Lee, Harper, Borges.
Half-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Exeter City
Full-time: Peterborough United 3-1 Exeter City
Attendance: 8,261 (479 Exeter City fans)
Referee: Charles Breakspear