Vale Second Half Comeback Stuns Posh
Peterborough United threw away a 2-0 lead to somehow lose 3-2 to Port Vale at the ABAX Stadium in Sky Bet League One action.Jon Taylor and Aaron Williams had given Posh a comfortable lead at the break, but goals in the second half from Byron Moore, JJ Hooper and Louis Dodds gave the visitors all three points.
Posh got off to a great start and opened the scoring inside two minutes as Harry Toffolo advanced down the left and picked out the unmarked TAYLOR in the box, who fired past Neal and into the back of the net.
Williams had a great chance to make it 2-0 moments later but after taking a good touch from a Nichols cross, he fired wide on the volley.
Chris Forrester wasted a good opportunity to add a second, but he fired wide from the edge of the box after Williams' pace had caused problems for the visitors.
Foley looped a header over the bar for the visitors on 20 minutes after a sustained spell of pressure from the Valiants.
Anthony Grant curled a shot straight at Moore moments later while Louis Dodds fired wide with a speculative volley.
Williams' glanced a header wide of the target from an inswinging cross by Taylor as Posh tried to find that all important second goal.
Port Vale were forced into a change on 34 minutes with the injured Inniss replaced by McGivern. Nichols and Williams both saw half-chances snuffed out by Neal as the first half drew to a close.
Posh doubled their lead on 41 minutes as a Bostwick clearance picked out WILLIAMS, who didn't hang about, firing a superb volley past Neal with his first touch and first goal for the club.
Eight minutes of stoppage time was indicated by the fourth official at the end of the first half. Baldwin was cautioned in stoppage time for a late lunge on O'Connor.
Bostwick's speculative volley was comfortable for Neal on 47 minutes, the defender letting fly from 35-yards.
The visitors halved the deficit on 49 minutes as MOORE squeezed home a left-foot shot into the corner as Posh failed to deal with a left-wing centre.
Marcus Maddison saw a trademark swerving free-kick tipped over by a well positioned Neal on 55 minutes after he himself was felled by Grant, who was cautioned.
Maddison fired over with his right-foot after good skill in a tight area as Posh tried to compose themselves after losing the goal so soon after the break.
Substitute Hooper lashed a shot wide of the far post with his first touch from an acute angle on 66 minutes. Maddison saw a dipping free-kick routinely stopped by Neal while Taylor appealed in vain for a penalty as his cross appeared to strike a hand.
Byron Moore squandered a clear chance to level on 72 minutes after finding himself in acres on this near side, but he scuffed his shot at his namesake Stuart.
Posh made a change on 73 minutes with Lee Angol replacing Tom Nichols. Dodds fired over after racing onto a flick-on from a huge Neal clearance as Posh made their second switch with Adil Nabi introduced as Forrester made way.
Jordan Nicholson replaced Williams with 10 minutes remaining as Maddison was pushed into attack. The visitors got themselves an equaliser on 85 minutes as a cross from the left was guided past Moore from close-range by substitute Hooper.
That wasn't the end of the Posh pain though as on 88 minutes, DODDS fired through a pile of bodies and with the aid of a deflection, the ball looped into the net.
Maddison saw a late free-kick beaten away by Neal, but the stunned faces in the crowd were matched on the faces of the players as they contemplated how a 2-0 lead was whittled away so quickly.
Posh: Moore, Smith, Baldwin, Taylor, Bostwick, Maddison, Gillett, Nichols (sub Angol 73min), Forrester (sub Nabi 77min), Williams (sub Nicholson 80min), Toffolo. Unused subs: Henry, Zakuani, Oztumer, Coulthirst.
Port Vale: Neal, Purkiss, Dickinson, Duffy, O'Connor, Dodds, Foley, Moore, Robinson (sub Hooper 65min), Inniss (sub McGivern 34min), Grant. Unused subs: Alnwick, McGivern, Birchall, Kennedy, Brown, Kelly.
Half-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Port Vale
Full-time: Peterborough United 2-3 Port Vale
Attendance: 4,942 (237 Port Vale fans)