Posh beaten 5-0 by Bolton Wanderers at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Peterborough United’s winning run came to an abrupt end at the Weston Homes Stadium as Bolton Wanderers secured an emphatic 5-0 victory in their 5,000th league game with former Posh defender Ricardo Santos netting a brace and Dion Charles firing a hat-trick.
Posh made a bright start to the contest and goalkeeper James Trafford was forced into a smart stop on three minutes as he pushed a Nathan Thompson drive from 25-yards around the post after good work from Ephron Mason-Clark.
The visitors opened the scoring on 11 minutes and it was a very scrappy one, a free-kick from Morley was stabbed towards goal, Norris made the initial save but the ball rebounded to SANTOS who got the final touch in the melee. Hector Kyprianou was cautioned for dissent moments later.
Posh had a great chance to level moments later as Poku found Mason-Clark, but his shot was straight at Trafford. Clarke-Harris was next to try his luck, but again the keeper was well placed to keep out the effort after he had powered into the box through a weak Santos tackle.
Poku was cautioned for preventing the taking of a free-kick on 34 minutes as referee Lee Swabey continued to frustrate the home supporters. As the first half drew to a close, Posh had a glut of chances, first Butler saw an effort blocked before Kyprianou’s shot took a deflection and looped inches wide. Then from the resulting corner, Ward picked out Clarke-Harris at the back post but he headed wide of the target.
Bolton doubled the lead on 41 minutes from the penalty spot, Dion Charles sending Norris the wrong way from 12-yards after Thompson was penalised for a foul on Shoretire. Charles was cautioned for a foul on Thompson as the first half entered three minutes of stoppage time.
Two minutes into the second half, Bolton killed the game as a contest as Dion CHARLES slammed home from close-range after a cross from Morley. Norris did well to save from Morley before CHARLES was given another chance again from the spot after the referee spotted a foul by Kyprianou on Shoretire.
Taylor was cautioned for a foul moments later as Posh’s day continued to go from bad to worse with Darren Ferguson cautioned. Santos was booked for a foul on Mason-Clark on 55 minutes by the match official.
Ward was denied by Trafford after good hold-up play by Clarke-Harris as the game moved towards the hour mark. Ferguson made a double change on 65 minutes with Kabonga Tshimanga getting his first minutes in the blue shirt as he replaced Clarke-Harris with Josh Knight also on for Thompson.
Poku curled an effort just over the top moments later after cutting inside onto his right-foot. Trafford was in the right place to deny Mason-Clark after a good burst into the box as Posh continued to try and find a consolation goal.
On 77 minutes, Bolton got a fifth goal as a cross from the left landed at the feet of SANTOS and he fired home from close-range. Mason-Clark sent a curler wide of the target as the game moved towards stoppage time on a day to forget for Darren Ferguson’s men.
Mason-Clark saw an audacious over-head kick land just on top of the netting as he carved out a chance out of nothing.
Posh: Norris, Butler, Kent, Edwards, N. Thompson (sub Knight 65min), Ward, Taylor (sub B. Thompson 73min), Kyprianou, Poku (sub Jones 74min), Clarke-Harris (sub Tshimanga 65min), Mason-Clark. Unused subs: Blackmore, B. Burrows.
Bolton Wanderers: Trafford, Santos, Toal, Jones, Mbete (sub Isgrove 80min), John (sub Williams 82min), Morley, Dempsey, Lee (sub Sheehan 78min), Shoretire (sub Jerome 62min), Charles (sub Adeboyejo 62min). Unused subs: Dixon, Khumbeni.
Half-time: Peterborough United 0-2 Bolton Wanderers
Full-time: Peterborough United 0-5 Bolton Wanderers
Attendance: 9,247 (1,725 Bolton fans)
Referee: Lee Swabey