David Ajiboye scored a superb opener as Posh overcame Lincoln City 2-0 at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Peterborough United go into the international break on the back of a 2-0 victory over Lincoln City at the Weston Homes Stadium with substitute David Ajiboye firing a superb opener with Joel Randall netting his first league goal for the club to secure the three points.
The visitors had the first effort of the game with Ethan Erhahon seeing a shot deflect over the top with Jack Burroughs firing over on the volley as the resulting corner was only half-cleared. Posh carved out their first chance of the game on 11 minutes as a deep cross from Ephron Mason-Clark was nodded back across goal by Kwame Poku into the path of Hector Kyprianou, but he couldn’t keep his header on target.
Moments later some slick football involving Harrison Burrows and Joel Randall created a shooting chance for Jonson Clarke-Harris, but his stinging left-footed effort was tipped over by Lukas Jensen. Paudie O’Connor glanced a header wide from a corner kick just after the half hour mark as the Imps tried to find the breakthrough.
The Imps came even closer moments later as Hakeeb Adelakun got in behind the Posh defence, but after lifting his effort over Bilokapic, it struck the crossbar before Peter Kioso did well to block the rebound from Hackett-Fairchild.
Sean Roughan headed over from a corner kick on 37 minutes as the low delivery seemed to evade a number of bodies at the near post. Mason-Clark forced his way through a couple of challenges on 40 minutes, but he dragged his left-footed effort wide of the far post.
Darren Ferguson’s men were forced into a change on 42 minutes as Poku limped out of the action with David Ajiboye his replacement. Roughan was cautioned for a foul on Ajiboye a minute later by the touch-line.
Jensen did well to keep out a low drive from Ajiboye on 49 minutes as the substitute did well to wriggle into some space on the edge of the box. The deadlock was broken on 52 minutes and what a strike it was from AJIBOYE, first time into the roof of the net after an intelligent pass from Mason-Clark.
Danny Mandroiu was cautioned for a late foul on Collins on 56 minutes. Lincoln made a double change midway through the second half with Olamide Shodipo and Ted Bishop introduced. A clever pass from Ajiboye sent Kioso rampaging down the right, he used his body well to get in front of the defender, but his fierce shot was beaten away by Jensen at the near post.
Ajiboye fired over from just inside the box on 75 minutes after a good pass from Mason-Clark. Posh doubled the lead on 83 minutes and it was a special moment for Joel RANDALL who saw his low effort on the turn found the bottom corner.
Posh made a double change on 87 minutes with Ryan De Havilland and Ricky-Jade Jones replacing Randall and Mason-Clark. Moments later, Burrows cracked a shot against the woodwork from inside the box as Posh came close a third.
Posh: Bilokapic, Burrows, Edwards, Knight, Clarke-Harris, Mason-Clark (sub De Havilland 87min), Poku (sub Ajiboye 42min), Randall (sub Jones 87min), Kyprianou, Collins, Kioso. Unused subs: Talley, Katongo, Crichlow, Wakeling.
Lincoln: Jensen, Jackson, Erhahon, Hackett, Hamilton, Mandriou (sub Shodipo 67min), O'Connor, Burroughs, Adelakun (sub Bishop 67min), Roughan (sub Brown 71min), Mitchell (sub Duffy 85min). Unused subs: Smith, Bishop, Wright, Eyoma.
Half-time: Peterborough United 0-0 Lincoln City
Full-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Lincoln City
Attendance: 9,130 (1,609 Lincoln fans)
Referee: S Singh Gill