Cheltenham Town vs Peterborough United

30/07/2022

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We look ahead to the opening Sky Bet League One fixture of the season against Cheltenham Town.

Peterborough United kick off the new Sky Bet League One campaign on Saturday afternoon (3pm) with a trip to the Completely-Suzuki Stadium to face Cheltenham Town with Grant McCann’s men looking to build on a strong pre-season, which concluded last Saturday with an eye-catching 3-0 victory over Championship side Hull City.

While pre-season results are not imperative with fitness much more important, McCann’s men picked up some decent results over July with wins over Leyton Orient and Deeping Rangers as well as hard-fought draws with Stevenage and Barnet.

Cheltenham have had a summer of change with Wade Elliott appointed as the club’s new manager following the protracted departure of Michael Duff to Barnsley, as well as a host of new arrivals on the pitch too including the loan arrival of goalkeeper Luke Southwood from Reading, who is expected to be between the sticks at the weekend.

TEAM NEWS

Posh will be without the services of defender Dan Butler and midfielder Ollie Norburn due to long-term injuries. McCann spoke in the pre-match press conference on Thursday about other knocks and niggles in the camp with goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright, defender Nathan Thompson and the versatile Joe Ward all rated as doubts.

Thompson came off against Hull with a slight foot injury, Ward trained for the first time in 10 days on Thursday following a muscle injury while Cartwright has missed the last few games with a knock. “We don’t want to lose players for a long period of time, so it maybe that some or all of these players miss this game knowing they will be back for the following one,” McCann commented.

Former Posh defender Lewis Freestone penned a new contract for the Gloucestershire outfit on Thursday, keeping him at the club until 2025. Ayo Tanimowo is unlikely to feature after dislocating his shoulder during pre-season while the experienced Matty Blair is another that could miss out due to a knee injury.

ONE TO WATCH

Alfie May (pictured) is another example of a player that has made an impact in the EFL rather late in his career, but he is certainly making up for lost time. The 29-year-old scored 26 goals in all competitions last term, including 23 in the league and has been linked with a host of clubs, including, unsurprisingly, Barnsley where his old gaffer now resides. May is a hard-working front man, of the mould of Craig Mackail-Smith, always gives 100 per cent and it will be a massive boost to the Robins if they can keep him at the club past the end of the summer transfer window.

Alfie May

FROM THE GAFFER

“Everyone is excited, we are no different. We are looking at meeting the season head on and can’t wait to get started. It is a difficult start for us. Their manager Wade Elliott was there with Michael (Duff) so it seems a seamless transition. In terms of the style, it is a little different, but they have a lot of quality and it will be a tough game for us. We have to do our own job first and follow the plan. We understand that any game in this league is difficult, we have to be good defensively before we can implement what we want to do at the other end of the pitch,” Grant McCann said.

TICKET NEWS

The game is a sell-out for Posh supporters. There will be no tickets available on the day. A total of around 1,000 fans will be making the trip.

POSH+

The game is available to stream for overseas subscribers to Posh+. Audio passes are available in the UK for £2.50 with commentary provided by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire To purchase an audio pass, to sign-up for a monthly or a yearly pass to Posh+ or to find out more, click here.

https://www.theposh.com/video/packages

PLAYED FOR BOTH

There have been a number of players, aside from Lewis Freestone, that have played for both Posh and Cheltenham Town.

Current Posh midfielder Ryan Broom (pictured left) was signed from Cheltenham by Darren Ferguson after starring for the Robins. Manager Grant McCann actually scored the last time that Cheltenham beat Posh in a competitive fixture. Kyle Vassell (pictured right) has scored four goals in 16 appearances for the Cheltenham after signing at the start of last season following spells at Rotherham United and Fleetwood Town.

Other players that have played for both clubs down the years include defender Alex Davey, once of Chelsea, Craig Alcock, who made eight appearances for Cheltenham after starring for Posh over a longer period of time, Jason Brissett who is fondly remembered by Posh fans for his goal against Tottenham Hotspur and Mo Eisa (pictured middle) who is hoping to help MK Dons towards a promotion push after injury cut short his campaign last term.

Ryan Broom, Mo Eisa and Kyle Vassell

CLASSIC ENCOUNTER

One of the most eye-catching results in the Head to Head between the two clubs came on 28th December 2008 as goals from George Boyd, Charlie Lee, Craig Mackail-Smith, Aaron Mclean, Chris Whelpdale and an Alan Wright own goal earned Darren Ferguson's men a quite incredible 6-3 success.

Posh were only 1-0 up at the break and were pegged back to 1-1, 3-2 and 4-3 at one stage before running riot in the closing stages. Ashley Vincent, Elvis Hammond and Lloyd Owusu was on target for the home side. Josh Low who was another to represent both clubs, was in the Cheltenham team.

Flashback v Cheltenham

KIT COLOURS

Posh will be wearing the blue home kit for the fixture.

MATCH COVERAGE

If you can’t make the game in Gloucestershire, you can follow all of the action in a number of ways.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

The match referee is Tom Nield.

Jonson Clarke-Harris scored twice as Posh came from 2-0 down to beat Cheltenham Town 3-2 at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium.

Jonson Clarke-Harris tested the reflexes of goalkeeper Luke Southwood on 13 minutes, but the on-loan Reading shot-stopper did well to repel his effort, beating the ball to safety. Moments later, the hosts had a chance of their own and a better one too, Perry afforded too much room in the box, but he lashed his shot inches wide of the near post.

Lewis Freestone, an Academy graduate of the Posh, fired a shot across goal for the hosts before two more Academy graduates, Harrison Burrows and Ricky-Jade Jones linked up, but the latter’s header went over the crossbar.

Jones displayed his pace on 21 minutes down the right, bursting into the penalty area, but from a tight angle, he fired well wide of the near post. The hosts got their noses in front just before the half hour mark as the strength and power of Dan Nlundulu caused all sorts of problems for the Posh back-line and his centre was bundled into his own net by Frankie Kent.

The hosts doubled their lead on 38 minutes and it was a terrible defensive error that led to the goal, Alfie MAY benefitting from a poor pass and rounding Bergström before slotting into the empty net. Posh had an immediate chance to get back into the game as Bergström’s long clearance found Clarke-Harris, but his left-footed lob struck the top of the crossbar. Bergström produced a superb stop with his legs to keep out May three minutes before the break as Cheltenham threatened to run away with it.

As the first half moved into two minutes of added time, Jeando Fuchs became the first player to go in the book for a shirt tug on Sercombe. Grant McCann made a triple change at the break with Joe Ward, Ben Thompson and Jack Marriott replacing Fuchs, Jones and Randall.

Jackson was cautioned for kicking the ball away moments into the second period. Kent could and perhaps should have done a little better from a deep Joe Ward free-kick, the centre back saw his effort directed straight into the grateful arms of Southwood.

Posh pulled a goal back on 58 minutes as two substitutes combined, Joe Ward with a good low delivery and Jack MARRIOTT is there to get across his man at the near post to find the back of the net. Kent was cautioned by referee Tom Nield on the hour mark with Perry curling the resulting free-kick over the bar.

Bergström produced a good stop with his legs to deny May for the second time in the contest on 64 minutes after he managed to ghost in behind Kent. Posh drew themselves level on 66 minutes as Jonson CLARKE-HARRIS rifled home with his left-foot after a poor defensive clearance.

Burrows sliced a shot wide of the near post after a good run from Knight on the near side as Posh tried to get a quickfire third. Posh completed the turnaround on 72 minutes as Ward delivered another wonderful centre for CLARKE-HARRIS to guide home at the near post for his second goal of the game.

Lucas Bergström then produced a stunning save to tip over an effort from Alfie May to preserve the Posh lead. McCann made a fourth change midway through the first half with Hector Kyprianou replacing Szmodics.

Ward had a good chance to cap a fine second half performance on 85 minutes as he raced onto a Kyprianou pass, but he lofted his effort over the bar. Ward curled a free-kick straight at Southwood on 87 minutes as Freestone was cautioned for a lunge at the same player.

Bergström produced a good stop to keep out substitute Ebanks three minutes into injury time.

Cheltenham: Southwood, Long, Williams (sub Lloyd 75min), Raglan, Freestone, Sercombe (sub Adshead 81min), Nlundulu, May, Jackson (sub C. Taylor 75min), Bonds (sub Chapman 81min), Perry (sub Ebanks 75min). Subs: MacDonald, Horton.

Posh: Bergström, Edwards, Knight, Kent, Fuchs (sub B. Thompson 46min), Taylor, Clarke-Harris, Szmodics (sub Kyprianou 78min), Burrows, Jones (sub Ward 46min), Randall (sub Marriott 46min). Subs: Ajiboye, Tomlinson, Blackmore.

Half-time: Cheltenham Town 2-0 Peterborough United
Full-time: Cheltenham Town 2-3 Peterborough United
Attendance: 4,425 (1,050)
Referee: Tom Nield