Posh Horror Show At Struggling Bury
Experienced striker James Vaughan helped himself to four goals as Bury took advantage of some shambolic Peterborough United defending to run out 5-1 winners at Gigg Lane to end their poor run of form and hand Grant McCann his biggest defeat as a manager.Anthony Kay and James Vaughan both sent early efforts wide of the target, but it didn't take Posh long to take their first chance, Edwards saw a curling effort parried by Lainton and there was NICHOLS to stab home first time into the back of the net by close-range.
The lead didn't take long though, former Everton youngster James VAUGHAN firing into the top corner from just inside the box after Posh had given possession away in a needless area in their own defensive third.
Edwards was denied by Lainton after good work from Nichols moments later as Posh tried to respond after seeing their lead cancelled out inside three minutes.
Da Silva Lopes fired wide from 30-yards on 10 minutes after he was picked out in space by Taylor.
Ryan Tafazolli was cautioned for a foul on Pope on the half-way line moments later, an early caution for the centre back.
Taylor saw a shot beaten away by a nervous Lainton on 12 minutes after a swift Posh counter-attack.
The home side got themselves in front on 17 minutes as a Mellis corner was met by VAUGHAN unchallenged and he powered home a header. Mellis had been denied by McGee which led to the corner.
Taylor was superbly denied by Lainton moments later after linking well with Morais while Forrester flighted a free-kick over the crossbar.
Bury made it 3-1 on 25 minutes, an unchallenged cross into the box from the right and VAUGHAN, the only man in the box, had two bites at the cherry before side-footing home to complete a 23-minute hat-trick.
It was 4-1 to the home side on 27 minutes and it was VAUGHAN again, a low cross from the right, the front man again has time to fire low into the bottom corner leaving McGee rooted to the spot.
Taylor volleyed wide of the near post after a header into the box by Da Silva Lopes on 32 minutes. Taylor fired wide after linking well with Nichols on 36 minutes after a clipped ball into a dangerous area by Smith.
Vaughan had a glorious chance to get his fifth and Bury's fifth on 37 minutes, an unchallenged header six yards from goal, plants his header wide of the target.
Posh made three changes at the break with Tafazolli, Da Silva Lopes and Taylor replaced, Samuelsen, Angol and Maddison introduced. Hope was denied by McGee on 48 minutes before Posh got away with handball claims following a goalmouth scramble.
Angol saw a fierce effort tipped onto the crossbar by Lainton on 50 minutes after linking well with Morais. Bostwick was cautioned for a foul moments later.
Vaughan struck the post for Bury and then McGee denied Danns as Bury caught Posh on the counter-attack on 57 minutes.
Maddison clipped the top of the crossbar with a fine curling effort from 20-yards on the hour mark as Posh came close to reducing the arrears.
Anthony Kay cleared a deflected effort off the line by Maddison and then Nichols saw a shot well gathered by Lainton.
Kay headed over from a free-kick on 66 minutes as Bury threatened a fifth goal. It arrived on 72 minutes and was a disaster for the normally reliable McGee, who dashed from his goal, tried to be cute with his clearance, it hit MILLER who then rolled the ball into the net from a tight angle.
McGee beat away an effort from Miller as the game entered the final quarter of an hour. Angol smacked the bar from close-range after a whipped centre from Maddison.
Nichols fired over the top after Maddison appealed in vain for a spot-kick after he appeared to be felled by Leigh. Maddison was a whisker away from a consolation goal on 84 minutes, his right-foot shot rolling inches past the far post.
Bury: Lainton, Leigh, C. Burgess, Kay, Pope (sub Miller 68min), Vaughan, Mellis (sub Etuhu 75min), S. Burgess, Hope, Moore (sub Danns 54min), Brown. Unused subs: Williams, Bedeau, Styles, Mackreth.
Posh: McGee, Smith, Hughes, Bostwick, Tafazolli (sub Angol 46min), Edwards, Forrester, Taylor (sub Samuselsen 46min), Da Silva Lopes (sub Maddison 46min), Morais, Nichols. Unused subs: Tyler, Inman, Chettle, Binnom-Williams, Samuelsen.
Half-time: Bury 4-1 Peterborough United
Full-time: Bury 5-1 Peterborough United
Attendance: 2,820 (288 Posh fans)