Posh were beaten 4-2 by Derby County at the Weston Homes Stadium as the Rams showed a real clinical edge in front of goal.
Peterborough United were undone by a 16-minute spell in the first half as Derby County recorded a 4-2 victory at the Weston Homes Stadium as experienced front man Martyn Waghorn proved the difference between the two sides.
Goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith was called upon to make a smart stop with his legs to repel Jonson Clarke-Harris on seven minutes after good work down the right from Kwame Poku. The Rams had a half chance at the other end as the ball fell at the feet of Martyn Waghorn, but he was unable to control and the ball rolled behind for a goal-kick.
The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes and it was a swift counter-attack with the Posh number nine at the heart of it, he started the move with some excellent hold-up play, brought in Harrison Burrows marauding from deep, he found Mason-Clark and the skipper’s low cross was converted by CLARKE-HARRIS for his second goal of the campaign.
The Rams levelled the scores on 28 minutes as experienced front man Martyn WAGHORN was left with too much time and space in the six-yard box and he cushioned a volley into the bottom corner with his left-foot.
Mason-Clark dragged an effort wide of the near post on 31 minutes after being found by Clarke-Harris as the open nature of the contest in the driving rain continued. On 36 minutes, the visitors got their noses in front as a Nathaniel Mendez-Laing cross was headed into the corner by Eiran CASHIN with the ball skipping off the wet surface.
Harrison Burrows became the first player booked moments later for scything down Mendez-Laing. From that free-kick, the visitors got their third as a Mendez-Laing effort from range was diverted past Bilokapic by WAGHORN.
On 44 minutes, WAGHORN completed his hat-trick with a curling effort past Bilokapic to make it 4-1 as Posh were caught on the break. Five minutes of added time was indicated by the fourth official as Posh tried to take stock of a clinical visiting side who had found the back of the net with each of their efforts.
Three minutes into the second half, Joel Randall curled a shot over the top after good running from Poku down the right. Hourihane flashed a shot wide of the near post on 50 minutes as Derby pressed for a fifth. Clarke-Harris saw a header hacked away from danger as Posh made a double change with Josh Knight and Ricky-Jade Jones introduced.
Kioso was cautioned for a shirt tug on Thompson on 67 minutes and from the resulting low set-piece, Waghorn fired over. Jones hit the crossbar with a hooked volley on 68 minutes before Darren Ferguson was cautioned, presumably for dissent.
Ferguson was then shown a second yellow card and was told to leave the dugout as the Posh day went from bad to worse. Knight saw an effort blocked on the line on 78 minutes as Posh pushed for a consolation. Burrows fired inches wide from 30-yards on 81 minutes as Derby introduce two new signings from the substitutes bench.
Forsyth was cautioned for a trip on substitute Ricky-Jade Jones as the game entered the final five minutes. Posh pulled a goal back just before five minutes of added time as POKU fired home from close-range after Josh Knight’s effort had been saved by the legs of Wildsmith.
Posh: Bilokapic, Kioso, Burrows, Edwards, Crichlow (sub Jones 63min), Kyprianou, Collins, Randall (sub Knight 62min), Clarke-Harris, Poku, Mason-Clark. Unused subs: Talley, Knight, De Havilland, Ajiboye, Tshimanga, Tomlinson.
Derby: Wildsmith, Forsyth, Hourihane (sub Fornah 79min), Cashin, Waghorn (sub John-Jules 78min), Mendez-Laing (sub Elder 67min), Smith, Washington (sub Collins 63min), Thompson, Rooney, Nelson. Unused subs: Bradley, Vickers, Radcliffe.
Half-time: Peterborough United 1-4 Derby County
Full-time: Peterborough United 2-4 Derby County
Attendance: 11,733 (3,896 Derby fans)
Referee: Mr L. Smith