Posh recorded a 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium thanks to a goal in each half from Archie Collins and David Ajiboye.
Peterborough United were 2-0 winners over Bristol Rovers in Sky Bet League One action at the Weston Homes Stadium with manager Darren Ferguson describing the home success as a ‘gritty three points.”
Archie Collins was cautioned by the referee Ben Toner on the quarter hour mark for a foul as the first half of the game began without real incident. Moments later, the Pirates came close to the breakthrough in bizarre circumstances as a clearance struck Ronnie Edwards and went just wide. John Marquis then fired home on the turn, but the offside flag was raised and the goal was rightly chalked off.
Hector Kyprianou glanced a header over the top from a Harrison Burrows centre on 19 minutes after good work down the right from David Ajiboye. The deadlock was broken on 28 minutes and it was a first Posh goal for Archie COLLINS as his shot from 25-yards took a deflection and found the bottom corner.
Ricky-Jade Jones was cautioned for a foul on the half hour mark as he prevented the visitors from breaking at pace. Burrows whistled a shot wide from 30-yards after doing well to win possession from deep as the first half entered the last five minutes.
Anthony Evans attempted a lob from just inside the Posh half, but it sailed over the crossbar before Mason-Clark poked an effort wide at the other end after Clarke-Harris did well to win the aerial duel. The lead was doubled within two minutes of the second half, Jones did brilliantly to meet his man and then pick out Kyprianou, his effort was parried by Cox, but AJIBOYE was there to tap home the rebound.
Clarke-Harris did superbly well to block on the line to deny Collins before racing to the other end, but he couldn’t control his half volley from Ajiboye’s centre and it went wide. Knight became the third Posh player to go into the book for a foul 35-yards from goal with the resulting set-piece from Evans striking the wall.
Evans was then cautioned for a late lunge on Ajiboye on the half-way line. Kyprianou became the fourth Posh player to be cautioned and he will now serve a suspension. Darren Ferguson was forced into a change on 64 minutes with Jadel Katongo coming off to be replaced by Romoney Crichlow.
Jevani Brown struck the post for the Pirates moments later as the visitors continued to threaten. Zak Sturge and Ryan De Havilland were both introduced by Darren Ferguson as substitutes with Clarke-Harris and Jones withdrawn. Knight saw a rampaging run ended by a fine clearance from Taylor.
De Havilland did test Cox with a free-kick from 30-yards on 73 minutes after Mason-Clark was upended by Finlay. Evans saw a low curler claimed by Bilokapic on 76 minutes as the visitors made a double change with Chris Martin and Ryan Woods introduced.
Kyprianou was somehow denied from close-range by Cox on 88 minutes before Jacob Wakeling replaced David Ajiboye. Bristol Rovers had a glorious chance to pull a goal back a minute into seven minutes of added time, but Collins fired wide when clean through.
Posh: Bilokapic, Katongo (sub Crichlow 64min), Knight, Edwards, Ajiboye (sub Wakeling 89min), Kyprianou, Collins, Burrows, Mason-Clark, Clarke-Harris (sub De Havilland 68min), Jones (sub Sturge 68min). Unused subs: Talley, O’Connell, Corbett.
Bristol Rovers: Cox, Grant, Finlay (sub Martin 77min), Marquis (sub Sinclair 81min), Collins, Thomas (sub Brown 46min), Taylor, Vale, Evans (sub Woods 77min), Bogarde (sub McCormick 81min), Hunt. Unused subs: Hall, Hoole.
Half-time: Peterborough United 1-0 Bristol Rovers
Full-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Bristol Rovers
Attendance: 9,044 (433 Bristol Rovers fans)
Referee: Ben Toner